Democratic lawmakers in Ohio called for an investigation into the hiring process at the state Department of Transportation after a politician said in a Facebook post that young Republicans would get preference for summer jobs at the agency, raising questions about cronyism in its hiring.
A Republican member of the Marietta City Council, Cindy Oxender, wrote a Facebook post on March 29 that advertised six summer jobs for high school and college students with the Ohio department. Young Republicans who applied would have a leg up, she said.
Its good money, good experience, and a very nice résumé builder, she wrote, adding between parentheses, Preference is given to Republican youth on this!
Ms. Oxender deleted the post after criticism from news media in Ohio and a request from the citys legal director, Paul Bertram. But it brought unwelcome attention to the city where Gov. John Kasich, the Republican presidential candidate, delivered his State of the State address on Wednesday night.
State Representative Nicholas J. Celebrezze, the assistant minority leader of the Ohio House, and State Representative Michael P. Sheehy, both Democrats, asked the state inspector general, Randall J. Meyer, on Wednesday to open an investigation into how the Transportation Department hires seasonal workers.
Employment based on political affiliation, when it is not required for the effective performance of a position, is generally prohibited by state and federal Civil Service laws, they wrote in a letter to the inspector general.
In a statement, Mr. Celebrezze said, Any indication that state job opportunities near Marietta are awarded based on political affiliation is deeply troubling.
Ms. Oxender apologized for the post in a statement on Wednesday and said the episode had taught her about the requirements, limitations and restrictions placed upon public servants. She also shifted the blame, saying she had not written the post, but had merely shared something that was written by someone else.
I made an error in judgment in sharing a post made by a colleague on my private Facebook page which was a summer job notice, and indicating there might be a political preference in the selection process, she said in the statement.
