Being disingenuous seems popular with public officials these days. Even local ones. Even some in law enforcement and in the judicial system.
Witness: Hamilton County District Attorney General Neal Pinkston, our lead county prosecutor, who in November 2019 married his subordinate, his office’s chief of staff Melydia Clewell – or his public information officer, depending on whether you read the Hamilton County District Attorney General’s Office website or whether you read her state job title.
What’s more, Pinkston last year chose to employ his wife’s brother, Kerry Clewell, as an investigator – or a DA secretary, depending, again, on whether you were privy to the DA’s office email announcing Kerry’s hire or whether you’re looking at state employee records.
On Wednesday in a routine county budget hearing, Pinkston answered a county commissioner’s question as he presented a budget request which includes 4% pay increases for county-funded employees to match those in his office who are paid by the state.
Commissioner Tim Boyd asked Pinkston: “Of the county employees that the county’s responsible to have on our payroll, so to speak, are any of those employees a relative of you?” Boyd asked.