I’m still befuddled by the North Dakota state fund situation. Recall that former CEO Sandy Blunt was tossed out amidst accusations of malfeasance, corruption, theft – pretty much everything bad a CEO could be accused of. I’ve been digging into this, and it turns out the charges against Blunt were discussed in detail in a local ND publication, the Dakota Beacon.
The charges that led to conviction of Blunt on felony charges were in three areas –
– unauthorized use of sick leave by a senior employee. Sources indicate Blunt allowed a departing senior exec to take sick leave when that employee was not actually ill, but was on his way out of the organization. An investigation by the ND State Auditing Organization of the sick leave indicated the exec likely would have qualified for FMLA – and the sick leave authorization was not illegal. As a state agency required to report any potentially illegal activity, this is instructive, as the SAO’s determination came over two years before Blunt was charged and the agency never reported the authorization as problematic.
– failure to get moving expenses repaid – The same employee noted above left before hehad been with WSI for two years, and thus should have been required to repay about $7000 in moving expenses. Blunt had asked the WSI’s internal counsel for her opinion on requiring reimbursement, and in a written memo she advised that she “did not feel comfortable” seeking reimbursement becuase the employee had been asked to leave, and therefore the legal requirement to repay moving expenses did not apply.
– unauthorized use of state funds to pay for meals, gifts, trinkets, and entertainment purposes. Turns out Blunt merely continued to use the same processes that had been in place at WSI before he got there. And, as soon as he determined these might be against WSI’s policies, he stopped them. We aren’t talking trips to Pebble Beach here; we’re talking coffee and pastries for employee meetings, a welcome cake for his own welcoming party (that had been ordered before Blunt even arrived), a flower and small gift certificate for workers on their employment anniversary. These expenditures had been in place for years, had never been questioned before Blunt arrived, and had actually been authorized by WSI’s purchasing department.
This guy is now a felon because he continued purchasing practices that had been in place before he got there, stopped them when he found out they were questionable, perhaps authorized sick leave for an employee on the way out who would have qualified for FMLA, and somehow was responsible for getting that employee to repay moving expenses that the state’s own attorney didn’t want to go after?
My conclusion?
Blunt was railroaded on the basis of charges that at best look to be incredibly nit-picky, and at worst political manipulation of law enforcement by a prosecutor gone nuts.
I’ve changed my mind.
I’m not befuddled. I’m outraged.
Mar
22
Your research needs to be a bit more thorough Mr. Paduda. The Dakota Beacon is a right wing fringe “free” publication that can be obtained at low end motels and gas stations. The publisher is a dear friend of Mr. Blunt. I’m convinced most of his writings relating to the Blunt case are actually written by Mr. Blunt.
Jody – You are incorrect as the articles were written by the publisher of DB, Steve Case. Regardless of where the DB is distributed, I can’t fault Case’s reporting or his accuracy. I’d note that Case has specifically accused the prosecutor of lying, in public in print.
If Case was wrong, the prosecutor would have him charged with slander/libel. That hasn’t happened.
I’d add that I have researched this extensively from a variety of sources, most of which appear to be more opinion than fact-based.
Do not impugn Mr Blunt without facts and sources to support said facts. If you believe Blunt was correctly charged and convicted than cite your sources.
That’s kind of funny. That is Cates’s logic. “I have not been sued so I must be right.” The prosecutor does not sue him because she is a public figure. You can be as mean to them as you want and not get sued. Goes with the job.
The only proof I have, or need, that Blunt was correctly charged and convicted is our system of justice. It’s been to the Supreme Court, he got a jury of his peers, he got convicted.
Jody – so, the courts are always right? Don’t tell that to the 192 men on death row who have had their convictions overturned, or the women drowned after the Salem Witch trials, or the blacks in the South railroaded by racist juries.
And you have your facts wrong. The case has not been to the Supreme Court, and in fact is in appeal now. The judge in the initial case has suspended sentencing pending the outcome of the appeal.
I suggest you do your own research and don’t rely on blind faith in governmental or judicial processes. This could happen to you.
Paduda