Pinal County recorder has to explain, and quickly
May 2, 2009
East Valley
Tribune.com
Tribune poll
Should the Pinal County
recorder resign?
Yes
 87% (261)
No
13% (38)
Total votes: 299
Vote
A number of Pinal County residents believe incompetence and corruption inside
the county courthouse didn’t end with the departure of former county manager — and
current prison inmate — Stan Griffis.
That view received a boost last week with the disclosure of a shocking lack of judgment
from Pinal County Recorder Laura Dean-Lytle in hiring a close family friend — a
convicted felon and illicit-drug user — who had access to sensitive information
from county residents. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu says that access led to identity
theft and check-writing fraud, a terrifying abuse of the public trust that voters
have placed in Dean-Lytle.
Tribune writer Mark Flatten reported Friday that Dean-Lytle hired Albert Robbs in
2003 after he was released from prison for felony theft, and then later promoted
him. Dean-Lytle probably knew Robbs well, as he had dated the county recorder’s
daughter for years. That alone violates the spirit, if not the letter, of typical
anti-nepotism policies and would cast doubt on Dean-Lytle’s commitment to managing
her office with complete integrity.
But Dean-Lytle also was fully aware of Robbs’ criminal past and should have known
of his frequent illegal use of marijuana and methamphetamines. Obviously, those
issues made Robbs vulnerable to temptation and coercion from other shady characters
in his life.
Allowing Robbs anywhere near checking account numbers and other personal information
of those who did business with the county recorder might have been a simple mistake
for a new administrator. The same choice from Dean-Lytle, who has held office for
a decade, could be viewed as gross neglect that bordered on misfeasance.
Robbs was arrested by the sheriff’s office in December on suspicion of stealing
personal information and trading it for drugs. But he hasn’t been charged with anything
yet, and Pinal County Attorney James Walsh has cleared Dean-Lytle of any criminal
wrongdoing.
Still, Dean-Lytle needs to provide the public with a reasonable explanation as to
why Robbs deserved to be hired and promoted despite their personal ties and his
questionable background. And how does she justify granting him access to files with
sensitive details?
If she can’t do that, then she should resign. Immediately.
|
|
|