After months of warm-up acts on the legislative bandwagon, the legendary lead act in the ongoing probe of Gov. Robert Ehrlich?s administration personnel practices took the stage Wednesday, and forgot his lines.
Joseph Steffen, once dubbed by Ehrlich as “the prince of darkness,” appeared before a special joint committee on state employee rights that is investigating the firing of 340 state employees. Many have told the panel it was because they were Democrats.
In response to detailed questioning by special counsel Ward Coe, Steffen repeatedly replied, “I don?t remember. ? I can?t recall that. ? Not that I recall,” when asked about e-mails, memos and lists of employees that were fired at the departments of Human Resources and Juvenile Services.
On the advice of his attorney, George Robinson, he repeatedly refused to answer questions about whom he had contact with in the Ehrlich administration after he resigned ? or was fired ? on Feb. 9, 2005.
He also refused to say where he went or what he did in the last four months when the committee wanted him to testify but couldn?t find him.
Steffen, a high school graduate who had worked in Ehrlich?s congressional district office for eight years, said he has no background in personnel but was sent to the departments to see how well their programs and their employees were working.
He remained on the governor?s staff, reporting directly to top Ehrlich aides, and would send them recommendations about who should be fired.
Herepeatedly said he couldn?t remember why or whether people were terminated, or even why he recommended they be let go.
Steffen maintained that people were not fired just because they were Democrats ? although he was initially inclined to do that. He said he never looked at personnel files or evaluations, but relied on information he got from supervisors and co-workers.
“There was no consistent methodology, and it?s an affront to state workers,” Del. Maggie McIntosh said. Committee co-Chairwoman Adrienne Jones, the House speaker pro tem, said that it “very distressing” that Steffen?s testimony conflicted with two cabinet secretaries who had told the committee that Steffen had undercut their authority.
“You earned your title as the prince of darkness,” co-Chairman Thomas Mac Middleton told Steffen. “It was apparent that you were the heavyweight” among other Ehrlich aides dispatched to different agencies.
Steffen said, “I fully expect if the mayor is elected, he?ll do the same” kind of house-cleaning Ehrlich undertook.
