Oh, Charlie. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
In a front-page article today, Hampel -- the daily's county-government reporter -- nails Dooley to the wall for hiring the son of his former campaign director, John Temporiti. In January, 27-year-old Mike Temporiti took over a $70,000 job in the county's Department of Revenue that was never advertised and seemed to be created especially for him.
Moreover, no one else even interviewed for the job extended to Temporiti during a time that the county is supposed to be in year three of a hiring and pay freeze. Mike Temporiti's position is the ninth-highest salary within the 237-person revenue department.
Hampel also reveals this morning how John Temporiti's daughter-in-law, Katy Temporiti, was also awarded a patronage job in county government courtesy of Dooley.
Dooley, who declined an interview with Hampel, defended the latest hiring of a Temporiti, saying in an email it had his "approval."
This, btw, is not the first time Hampel has reported on ethical questions swirling around the Dooley campaign. Last year, Hampel wrote about what a county councilman considered to be a "gaping hole" in Dooley's ethics code regarding John Temporiti. Hampel has also reported on how Temporiti tried to steer a county marketing contract to a firm where another of his sons is employed and then browbeat councilman when they didn't approve the contract.
The only solution as we see it? Dooley needs to make room in his office for Hampel. A cushy, six-figure salary oughta seal the deal -- provided no one else can apply for the position. You want to make sure Hampel gets the gig.
