Report: Retiree rigged jobs, raises at DMV

From The Raleigh News & Observer:

Dan Kane - Staff Writer

Internal investigative files released Friday say that Greene County patronage boss Eddie Carroll Thomas had "long-standing and widespread" influence over personnel decisions in one of the state Division of Motor Vehicles' largest sections -- Driver and Vehicle Services.

Need a job? Send an application to Thomas. Want a troublesome colleague transferred? Talk to Thomas. Need someone to get you a new DMV job assignment? Thomas is "the man," employees told investigators.

All this is considerable influence for a 73-year-old man who is no longer a state employee. Thomas was once a Transportation Department maintenance supervisor, but he abruptly retired five years ago after state records showed dozens of calls from his work phone being made to top officials across state government. State and federal investigations looked into two state contracts connected to Thomas' business partners and Thomas' role as a conduit for jobs and appointments at other state agencies.

"I personally was shocked and offended by what was contained in the investigative report," DMV Commissioner Bill Gore said. "And I was offended not only as an administrator but as a citizen."

Gore turned over the investigation to Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby on Nov. 4. A month later, Willoughby wrote that he would not pursue it.

Part of Thomas' influence stems from his role as a political fundraiser. He raised money for both former Gov. Jim Hunt and current Gov. Mike Easley. An internal Easley campaign document from 2000 showed Thomas had been tapped to raise $40,000 from Greene County, among the state's poorest counties.

Employees told investigators that Thomas had the ear of the section's head, Wayne Hurder, who became the DMV's second-in-command in August 2007. In numerous instances, the files say, Hurder backed what Thomas wanted.

Hurder, 61, was fired Oct. 31 for using his position "to exert improper influence in personnel matters," Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett said in a letter that authorized release of the investigative files. Hurder has denied any wrongdoing and is suing to get his job back.

Hurder said that Thomas, who he acknowledges is a friend, held no influence over him. Hurder joined the DMV in 1993 and made $101,867 a year. Hurder told investigators he met Thomas five years ago.

"Nobody speaks for me," Hurder said. "The district supervisors and others on my staff know that nobody can speak directly for me."

Thomas could not be reached for comment.

Costs to taxpayers

The personnel moves cost taxpayers, Gore said. Employees who shifted to other offices -- without their direct supervisors' approval, or in some cases without their knowledge -- cost the state at least $80,000 unnecessarily. Hurder said the moves were made to combat manpower shortages.

When it came time to interview job candidates for positions in the eastern part of the state, Hurder called upon Thomas' nephew, Danny Thomas, to drive from Morganton, 200 miles west of Raleigh, where he was a district supervisor. Records show those trips cost the state thousands in travel expenses.

Thomas and another DMV supervisor, Mike Salisbury, handled much of the examiner interviews for jobs in the eastern part of the state. Salisbury, Danny Thomas, Hurder and other DMV employees would regularly join Eddie Carroll Thomas for dinner. Danny Thomas told investigators that his uncle and Hurder would discuss personnel matters.

The files show an instance in which interviews for two examiner jobs in eastern North Carolina were supposed to be handled by Danny Thomas, but inadvertently got assigned to another supervisor, Nadine Barnes. She did not pick a person recommended by Eddie Carroll Thomas. Hurder ordered the paperwork redone to show the person Thomas recommended was one of the top two choices for two positions.