Proposed Cost to Snoop-Proof State of Ohio Data Bases -- $100 Million

Unless your head has been in the sand for over the past month everyone is aware of Joe the Plumber. After coming out in support of McCain in this years presidential race, Obama's minions in Ohio used state computers in attempts to dig up dirt on Joe the Plumber.

Subsequently, Gov Strickland, Obama's main man in Ohio, dolled out slaps on the hand for Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelley and those involved. Even knowing that a rank & file employee was being set up to take the fall - he felt only slap on the hand was appropriate.

Now Ohio's tormented lawmakers, claiming there are no laws against snooping through state data bases, are trying to pass a bill that would allow any employees caught snooping to be fired.

Sound easy enough - right? Come on - we are in Ohio! The cost of this seemingly simple fix - $100 Million!

Daren Arnold, interim chief privacy officer for the state Department of Administrative Services, stunned lawmakers Tuesday with his testimony before the House State Government and Elections Committee.

Arnold's cost estimate of more than $100 million stems from language in the proposal which forces state agencies to record every time they access specific confidential information for a person.

Arnold was unable to pinpoint how much of the $100 million price tag stemmed from costs specifically imposed by the legislation compared to costs arising from a similar state executive privacy order issued by Gov. Ted Strickland in the scandal's wake. Strickland's order, however, doesn't require a log entry every time an employee accesses a database. (Plain Dealer)

This is simply incredible! Incredible that Strickland was allowed to only slap Obama supporter and donor, Family Services Director Kelly-Jones on the hand and unthinkable that she was not charged with a crime.

I do not see where all this hoopla is necessary. The women and those involved obviously broke the law and Republican lawmakers should be calling for charges to be filed instead of wasting time listening to this cock& bull $100 Million flip-off fantasy.

Simply put - if a law enforcement officer accesses state law enforcement data bases for a record search on an individual - it must be for official business or law enforcement purposes. There has been countless cases of officers being charged with Theft in Office when the data bases were accessed for reasons other than official business. So why do lawmakers need to do anything - the law is there! Jones-Kelly, instructed and/or approved the searches on Joe the Plumber for unofficial business.

Jones-Kelly used, or allowed to be used, property of the state to access information belonging to the state - for unofficial business. This adds up to THEFT IN OFFICE not $100 Million!