DGIF officials indicted: Daily Progress editorial
The wheels of justice
September 23, 2007
The allegations were serious. Why, we wondered, had there been no legal action?
But it was just a matter of time.
A grand jury has indicted three former Game and Inland Fisheries employees - including the department’s ex-director - on charges alleging misuse of state funds.
This is an important milestone in a story that began four years ago.
That’s when Lee and Paulette Albright began asking questions about the proposed closure of the Montebello Fish Hatchery, run by Game and Inland Fisheries.
The department said it didn’t have enough money to keep the hatchery open.
Nelson County, reluctant to lose one of its tourist attractions, came up with some of its own money to keep the hatchery running.
To the Albrights, something about the game department’s claim of penury didn’t add up. They began asking for expense figures and other data. Instead of providing prompt and suitable replies, the department stonewalled them.
Other people might have given up, but the Albrights recognized the tactics as a sign that something was seriously wrong indeed. Eventually, their efforts led to a state auditor’s investigation, which found that:
Director William Woodfin Jr. bought high-end shotguns with state money, and one of his deputies used state resources to finance a personal catering business.
A game department lieutenant bought a stereo system worth more than $600 for his state vehicle.
Top agency personnel took a 17-day African safari with hunting gear purchased on state credit cards. Dan Hoffler, then chairman of the department’s politically appointed oversight board, eventually picked up the tab for the trip - emphasis on "eventually."
The auditor’s investigation, in turn, led to an attorney general’s investigation.
And that’s where the story seemed to lag.
Just last month we questioned why no action had been taken as a result - neither the filing of charges nor an announcement that no reason to file charges had been discovered.
Then last week the grand jury indictment against Mr. Woodfin and two game wardens was unsealed.
At the same time, the attorney general’s office said it would propose legislation to next year’s General Assembly to ensure that the game department and state and local governments are "a good steward of our citizens’ tax dollars."
Lawyers for the three accused men say their clients have done nothing wrong.
"I’m not aware that any law has been violated - I just don’t see the offense," said attorney Murray Janus, in a statement virtually echoed by lawyers for the other two defendants.
That’s now for a court to decide.
After all those dubious uses of state money, Virginia taxpayers deserve answers. For that matter, so do the men in question.
Taxpayers deserve to know whether the abuse of public money rises to the level of crime - and why. And if crimes were committed, they deserve justice.
September 23, 2007
The allegations were serious. Why, we wondered, had there been no legal action?
But it was just a matter of time.
A grand jury has indicted three former Game and Inland Fisheries employees - including the department’s ex-director - on charges alleging misuse of state funds.
This is an important milestone in a story that began four years ago.
That’s when Lee and Paulette Albright began asking questions about the proposed closure of the Montebello Fish Hatchery, run by Game and Inland Fisheries.
The department said it didn’t have enough money to keep the hatchery open.
Nelson County, reluctant to lose one of its tourist attractions, came up with some of its own money to keep the hatchery running.
To the Albrights, something about the game department’s claim of penury didn’t add up. They began asking for expense figures and other data. Instead of providing prompt and suitable replies, the department stonewalled them.
Other people might have given up, but the Albrights recognized the tactics as a sign that something was seriously wrong indeed. Eventually, their efforts led to a state auditor’s investigation, which found that:
Director William Woodfin Jr. bought high-end shotguns with state money, and one of his deputies used state resources to finance a personal catering business.
A game department lieutenant bought a stereo system worth more than $600 for his state vehicle.
Top agency personnel took a 17-day African safari with hunting gear purchased on state credit cards. Dan Hoffler, then chairman of the department’s politically appointed oversight board, eventually picked up the tab for the trip - emphasis on "eventually."
The auditor’s investigation, in turn, led to an attorney general’s investigation.
And that’s where the story seemed to lag.
Just last month we questioned why no action had been taken as a result - neither the filing of charges nor an announcement that no reason to file charges had been discovered.
Then last week the grand jury indictment against Mr. Woodfin and two game wardens was unsealed.
At the same time, the attorney general’s office said it would propose legislation to next year’s General Assembly to ensure that the game department and state and local governments are "a good steward of our citizens’ tax dollars."
Lawyers for the three accused men say their clients have done nothing wrong.
"I’m not aware that any law has been violated - I just don’t see the offense," said attorney Murray Janus, in a statement virtually echoed by lawyers for the other two defendants.
That’s now for a court to decide.
After all those dubious uses of state money, Virginia taxpayers deserve answers. For that matter, so do the men in question.
Taxpayers deserve to know whether the abuse of public money rises to the level of crime - and why. And if crimes were committed, they deserve justice.
