Helen Jones-Kelley
Encyclopedia
Helen Jones-Kelley, was the Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
(ODJFS), Ohio's largest agency, from 2007-2008. During her tenure, she received substantial media attention for various ODJFS related activities, and for her role in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe Wurzelbacher.
, Jones-Kelley received her Bachelor's degree
in Secondary English Education from Miami University
in Oxford, Ohio
and her law degree
from the University of Dayton School of Law
. Prior to law school, Jones-Kelley studied at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University. She then worked for a bank before working for the Cincinnati Recreation Department for nine years. Jones-Kelley was appointed the co-chair of Ohio's Advisory Council on Children, Youth and Families in 2003. Before Jones-Kelley began her work with Children Services, she served as an Assistant Legal Director for Montgomery County
Juvenile Court
. In this position, she started the program Court Appointed Special Advocate, or "CASA."
with her husband, Tom Kelley, and four daughters. She also has a stepson. Tom Kelley is the assistant director of the Family and Children First Council.
, National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, and others. Helen-Jones was selected as one of the “Ten Top Women” in Dayton, Ohio
in 1996 and one of the Ten Top African-American Women in 2002, and other awards.
-elect Ted Strickland
, at the end of 2006. ODJFS oversees programs helping unborn babies and their mothers with health care
issues while also helping unemployed workers and senior citizen
s find food and shelter. As director of ODJFS, Jones-Kelley has stated that one of her top priorities is, "to increase input from county departments and better coordinate efforts."
Jones-Kelley, as Director of the ODJFS, has commented numerous times on the jobless rate for Ohio during 2008. In March 2008, Jones-Kelley commented, "News that the unemployment rate declined slightly must be tempered by the fact that total employment decreased in both goods-producing and service-providing industries." Also, Jones-Kelley commented in May that payroll had fallen and that the economy had remained "sluggish."
government records in the last few weeks of the 2008 US Presidential election campaign. State and local officials conducted an investigation into whether Jones-Kelley's order to access Ohio government databases was illegal; they concluded on November 20, 2008 that the searches breached protocol but found there was no evidence to prove they were part of a political agenda or linked with a political group or campaign. The Attorney General's office of Ohio conducted the investigation. Thomas Charles, the Inspector General
of Ohio, also headed an investigation.
At the start of the investigation, Ohio State Rep. William Batchelder, R-Medina, called for Jones-Kelley to explain her agency’s actions in reviewing individuals who have been the subject of news stories. In a written response to a letter from Ohio Senate President Bill Harris (Ohio politician)
, Jones-Kelly defended her decision to approve of the search on Wurzelbacher after the third presidential debate:
According to The Columbus Dispatch on November 14, 2008, "In response to a public-records request, the state agency said yesterday that it had no records involving previous checks of the type that Director Helen Jones-Kelley authorized on 'Joe the Plumber.'" Tom Hayes
and Barbara Riley
, both previous directors of ODJFS, have responded to Jones-Kelley's searches and stated that they did not conduct searches due to an individuals status being raised to "celebrity."
for their review and consideration. After reviewing the report, Strickland suspended Jones-Kelley for a month without pay, but rejected requests for her to be terminated.
In response to the improper records search, Republican
Ohio state representative Shannon Jones
, has sponsored House Bill 648 that would mandate "the firing of any unclassified state employee who improperly accesses confidential personal information". On December 10, 2008, the bill passed the Ohio House of Representatives
by a vote of 69 to 26. On December 17, 2008, the bill passed the Ohio Senate
by a vote of 30 to 2. On January 6, 2009, Governor Ted Strickland signed House Bill 648, creating civil and criminal penalties for violations of rules concerning access to personal information on state databases.
account for political fundraising.” Strickland stated that this action was taken "due to the possibility, as yet unconfirmed, that a state computer or state e-mail account was used to assist in political fund raising." According to WYTV
, Strickland has released e-mails showing that Jones-Kelley "used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." The November 20 Inspector General report found this use of state e-mail resources improper.
for the most vulnerable among us." Upon Jones-Kelley's resignation, Douglas E. Lumpkin
was chosen by Governor Ted Strickland to replace her as director of ODJFS.
filed a lawsuit charging that Jones-Kelley (along with employees Fred Williams and Doug Thompson) improperly searched "confidential state databases" in an attempt to retaliate against Joe Wurzelbacher's criticism of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. The lawsuit states that the actions of these individuals "are sufficient to chill or silence a person of ordinary firmness from future First Amendment activities." Judicial Watch filed the federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Wurzelbacher, alleging that "officials of the State of Ohio violated Mr. Wurzelbacher's constitutional rights by illegally accessing confidential information from its official databases." The Associated Press
reports that Jones-Kelley must respond to the lawsuit within 20 days. Jones-Kelley's attorney, H. Ritchey Hollenbaugh, has declined to comment on the lawsuit and has stated that he is "studying it." On May 7, 2009, the Associated Press
reported that Jones-Kelly, "denies that she authorized state searches about the man known as "Joe the Plumber" after he questioned Barack Obama on the 2008 campaign trail." In addition, she "acknowledged donating $2,500 to the Obama campaign but denied providing additional help."
On November 15, 2009, the Associated Press
reported that Jones-Kelley, along with two other "former state employees" were sued by “Joe the Plumber, due to claims that "they illegally accessed his personal information leading up to last fall’s presidential election."
On August 4, 2010, the U.S District Court in Columbus dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the privacy violation didn't amount to a constitutional violation to the right to privacy.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, , a department that employs 4,000 full time employees, has an annual budget of more than $17 billion. ODJFS supervises the provision of Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and child support in Ohio. Also, ODJFS provides services such as unemployment...
(ODJFS), Ohio's largest agency, from 2007-2008. During her tenure, she received substantial media attention for various ODJFS related activities, and for her role in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe Wurzelbacher.
Background
A licensed attorneyLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Jones-Kelley received her Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Secondary English Education from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
and her law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from the University of Dayton School of Law
University of Dayton School of Law
The University of Dayton School of Law is a private ABA-approved law school. It is located in Dayton, Ohio, and is affiliated with the University of Dayton, which is a Catholic university of the Marianist Order.-Mission:...
. Prior to law school, Jones-Kelley studied at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University. She then worked for a bank before working for the Cincinnati Recreation Department for nine years. Jones-Kelley was appointed the co-chair of Ohio's Advisory Council on Children, Youth and Families in 2003. Before Jones-Kelley began her work with Children Services, she served as an Assistant Legal Director for Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 535,153 in the 2010 Census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. The county seat is Dayton...
Juvenile Court
Juvenile court
A juvenile court is a tribunal having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of majority...
. In this position, she started the program Court Appointed Special Advocate, or "CASA."
Family life
Helen Jones-Kelley lives in Clayton, OhioClayton, Ohio
Clayton is a city in Montgomery and Miami Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 13,209 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
with her husband, Tom Kelley, and four daughters. She also has a stepson. Tom Kelley is the assistant director of the Family and Children First Council.
Professional life
Helen Jones-Kelley has frequently presented workshops on children and the law, including for the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, and others. Helen-Jones was selected as one of the “Ten Top Women” in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
in 1996 and one of the Ten Top African-American Women in 2002, and other awards.
Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Jones-Kelley, a Democrat, was selected to run the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, by GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
-elect Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
, at the end of 2006. ODJFS oversees programs helping unborn babies and their mothers with health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
issues while also helping unemployed workers and senior citizen
Senior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
s find food and shelter. As director of ODJFS, Jones-Kelley has stated that one of her top priorities is, "to increase input from county departments and better coordinate efforts."
Jones-Kelley, as Director of the ODJFS, has commented numerous times on the jobless rate for Ohio during 2008. In March 2008, Jones-Kelley commented, "News that the unemployment rate declined slightly must be tempered by the fact that total employment decreased in both goods-producing and service-providing industries." Also, Jones-Kelley commented in May that payroll had fallen and that the economy had remained "sluggish."
ODJFS database search
While in office, Jones-Kelly became embroiled in a controversy over searches of Joe Wurzelbacher'sJoe the Plumber
Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher , is a conservative activist, author, and commentator. A resident of Holland, Ohio, United States, he gained significant attention during the 2008 U.S. presidential election after he was videotaped questioning then-Democratic candidate Barack Obama about his small...
government records in the last few weeks of the 2008 US Presidential election campaign. State and local officials conducted an investigation into whether Jones-Kelley's order to access Ohio government databases was illegal; they concluded on November 20, 2008 that the searches breached protocol but found there was no evidence to prove they were part of a political agenda or linked with a political group or campaign. The Attorney General's office of Ohio conducted the investigation. Thomas Charles, the Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of Ohio, also headed an investigation.
At the start of the investigation, Ohio State Rep. William Batchelder, R-Medina, called for Jones-Kelley to explain her agency’s actions in reviewing individuals who have been the subject of news stories. In a written response to a letter from Ohio Senate President Bill Harris (Ohio politician)
Bill Harris (Ohio politician)
Bill Harris is a Republican politician, who served in the Ohio General Assembly, notably as President of the Ohio Senate from 2005 to 2010.-Life and career:...
, Jones-Kelly defended her decision to approve of the search on Wurzelbacher after the third presidential debate:
- "Given our understanding that Mr. Wurzelbacher had publicly indicated that he had the means to purchase a substantial business enterprise, ODJFS, consistent with past departmental practice, checked confidential databases to make sure that if Mr. Wurzelbacher did owe child support, or unemployment compensation taxes, or was receiving public assistance, appropriate action was being taken. The result of those checks have never been publicly shared."
According to The Columbus Dispatch on November 14, 2008, "In response to a public-records request, the state agency said yesterday that it had no records involving previous checks of the type that Director Helen Jones-Kelley authorized on 'Joe the Plumber.'" Tom Hayes
Tom Hayes (civil servant)
Tom Hayes, an Ohio civil servant, has held positions within the Ohio state government such as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, director of the Ohio Lottery Commission, and as project manager for Cuyahoga County's board of elections....
and Barbara Riley
Barbara Riley
Barbara Riley is the director of the Ohio Department of Aging. She is also a past director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.-Background:...
, both previous directors of ODJFS, have responded to Jones-Kelley's searches and stated that they did not conduct searches due to an individuals status being raised to "celebrity."
Inspector General report
On November 20, 2008, Inspector General Charles reported that the reasons that Helen Jones-Kelley provided for the checks on Wurzelbacher "were not credible and they included contradictions, ambiguity, and inconsistencies." Charles found that Jones-Kelley "improperly authorized searches of state databases for information on Samuel Joseph — 'Joe the Plumber' — Wurzelbacher." Charles has provided the report to the prosecutor's office of Franklin County, OhioFranklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
for their review and consideration. After reviewing the report, Strickland suspended Jones-Kelley for a month without pay, but rejected requests for her to be terminated.
In response to the improper records search, Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Ohio state representative Shannon Jones
Shannon Jones
Shannon Jones is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 7th District since 2009. She serves as majority whip. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.-Early life and career:...
, has sponsored House Bill 648 that would mandate "the firing of any unclassified state employee who improperly accesses confidential personal information". On December 10, 2008, the bill passed the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
by a vote of 69 to 26. On December 17, 2008, the bill passed the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
by a vote of 30 to 2. On January 6, 2009, Governor Ted Strickland signed House Bill 648, creating civil and criminal penalties for violations of rules concerning access to personal information on state databases.
Use of ODJFS e-mail
On November 7, 2008, Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave “for possibly using a state computer and e-mailE-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
account for political fundraising.” Strickland stated that this action was taken "due to the possibility, as yet unconfirmed, that a state computer or state e-mail account was used to assist in political fund raising." According to WYTV
WYTV
WYTV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Mahoning Valley of Northeastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania that is licensed to Youngstown. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 36 from a transmitter on Shady Run Road in Boardman Township...
, Strickland has released e-mails showing that Jones-Kelley "used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." The November 20 Inspector General report found this use of state e-mail resources improper.
Resignation
On December 17, 2008, Jones-Kelley resigned from her position as director of ODJFS. Along with her resignation, Jones-Kelley issued a statement. "This decision comes after a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities." Two members of Jones-Kelley's staff, who had both been suspended after being implicated in the ODJFS computer records search, will be leaving their positions due to resignation and removal. Governor Strickland's spokesperson stated that the governor "values Helen Jones-Kelley's years of public service as a dedicated advocateAdvocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
for the most vulnerable among us." Upon Jones-Kelley's resignation, Douglas E. Lumpkin
Douglas E. Lumpkin
Douglas E. Lumpkin, an Ohio civil servant, was appointed as the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, and a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet, by Governor Ted Strickland on December 19, 2008...
was chosen by Governor Ted Strickland to replace her as director of ODJFS.
Judicial Watch lawsuit
On March 5, 2009, in a U.S. District Court in Columbus, Judicial WatchJudicial Watch
Judicial Watch is an organization that describes itself as "a conservative, non-partisan American educational foundation that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law." According to its mission statement, Judicial Watch "advocates high standards of...
filed a lawsuit charging that Jones-Kelley (along with employees Fred Williams and Doug Thompson) improperly searched "confidential state databases" in an attempt to retaliate against Joe Wurzelbacher's criticism of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. The lawsuit states that the actions of these individuals "are sufficient to chill or silence a person of ordinary firmness from future First Amendment activities." Judicial Watch filed the federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Wurzelbacher, alleging that "officials of the State of Ohio violated Mr. Wurzelbacher's constitutional rights by illegally accessing confidential information from its official databases." The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reports that Jones-Kelley must respond to the lawsuit within 20 days. Jones-Kelley's attorney, H. Ritchey Hollenbaugh, has declined to comment on the lawsuit and has stated that he is "studying it." On May 7, 2009, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Jones-Kelly, "denies that she authorized state searches about the man known as "Joe the Plumber" after he questioned Barack Obama on the 2008 campaign trail." In addition, she "acknowledged donating $2,500 to the Obama campaign but denied providing additional help."
On November 15, 2009, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Jones-Kelley, along with two other "former state employees" were sued by “Joe the Plumber, due to claims that "they illegally accessed his personal information leading up to last fall’s presidential election."
On August 4, 2010, the U.S District Court in Columbus dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the privacy violation didn't amount to a constitutional violation to the right to privacy.