'I retained all employees, including my mother'

By Sarah Vos
Herald-Leader Staff Writer

• PVA personnel documents (PDFs) for Renee True's husband, mother

Eight days before Steve Henry and Renee True announced they were running for governor and lieutenant governor, True, who is Fayette County's property valuation administrator, approved her husband's resignation from her office.

The resignation, dated Jan. 15, was effective Jan. 1, 2007, according to state records. That was the day True's husband, William Harper, was supposed to start working for the PVA as a real property supervisor, according to the Request for Personnel Action signed by True on Dec. 15.

Harper was replacing a man named Greg Richardson. He would have been a permanent, full-time employee and would have earned almost $3,000 a month, according to the document.

True says she wasn't trying to hire her husband. He helped out on a couple of projects. "What he actually did was work for free," True said. "For weeks and weeks, he went in for free. He is not a hired employee."

True says she filled out the paperwork for Harper because it was unclear whether he needed to be in the system, even as a volunteer. She turned in his resignation once she realized that he would get paid, she said. The office does not have any other volunteers.

Jill Midkiff, a spokeswoman for the Revenue Cabinet, said Harper never received a paycheck from the state. A check was issued to him, but it was recalled because it had the wrong Social Security number, she said.

State conflict of interest rules prohibit public servants from hiring, promoting or supervising family members, said John Steffen, general counsel for the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. PVAs fall under the jurisdiction of the ethics commission.

It's not the first time that nepotism questions have been raised in regard to True. True's mother, Linda Taulbee, works for the PVA office. She started there when True's husband at that time, Rene' True, was PVA.

"When I became PVA, I retained all employees, including my mother," Renee True said recently.

But, according to Revenue Cabinet records, Taulbee retired in 2004. Two months later, True hired Taulbee back as a seasonal employee. When that five-month position ended, True hired Taulbee again, this time as a full-time, permanent employee with a salary of $2,100 a month.

True says she does not remember her mother retiring and then being rehired. In addition, she was not aware of any laws prohibiting the hiring of family members.

"That is not something that has been brought to my attention," True said.

Henry said he was not concerned that True's mother works in her office or that True had rehired her mother after her mother retired.

"I would not be critical of anyone who would win their office and not fire their mom," Henry said.

True got her first job at the PVA thanks to a family connection. Her then-husband, Rene' True, hired her as an administrator when he was elected to office in 1985. At the time it wasn't unusual. Her father, then the Fayette County sheriff, employed her mother, Linda Taulbee, as a deputy sheriff. Her brother-in-law, Bobby True, then the Fayette Circuit Clerk, employed his wife as a bookkeeper.

True says she has no plans to hire family members if she becomes lieutenant governor. But she also doesn't have a problem with the arrangement.

"My experience of working with family members is that they are held to a higher standard than anyone else," True said. "We go above and beyond, making certain that there is absolutely no favoritism played."

Comments

[Conservative]

Does anyone believe any of this crap. This is more elitist liberal garbage, she states that she did not know her "mom" had retired when she hired her back! This is called double dipping and this is what is wrong with the state retirement program. Double Dipping is rampant by the Dems. She says "nobody told me I could not hire a relative" Oh! it's the old "nobody told me" defense. Just like "nobody told Henry" he could not illegally raise money for a campaign where he did not list a LT. Governor. So if these two "nobody told me" candidates win, it will be a lot of "nobody told me" going on for the next for years. Great article on what is wrong with politics and society. Renee True got this position on name recognition, she was married to Renee True, and after their divorce and after she remarried she never changed her name because of the name recognition she had from being married to the first PVA person named Renee True. This is a joke. Everyone knows not to hire relatives, nepotism is in the paper once a week. "Nobody Told ME!"

To be fair to the ex, his name is Rene, not Renee. But yeah, she got elected b/c of that, absolutely no other reason.

I whoeheartedly agree that double-dipping is a huge part of what's wrong with the state retirement system. Let's be honest though--there are plenty of Rs who do it too, this is not one party doing it while the other stands by innocently.

Also, don't think this is "elitist liberal garbage," just garbage. I wouldn't classify her as either of those. Her actions here were stupid and inexcusable (especially the rehiring part), and the explanation of sorts was definitely garbage.

[Conservative]

"Nobody told her father either" that you can not steal money and sell cocaine when you are the sheriff.

True, 45, grew up in Fayette County and comes from a politically active family. Her father, Lones Taulbee, served as Fayette County sheriff during the 1980s, but resigned after being convicted of embezzlement. Taulbee was later convicted of drug trafficking after he and a deputy conspired to plant cocaine in the truck of the key witness in the embezzlement case.

"nobody told me"

Not into visting sins of the father on a child; however (and that's a huge and important "however"), Henry should be screaming at the top of his lungs that there would be no pardon for her dad should Henry by some miracle become governor.

But I guess to mention that would draw attention to the story, which I remember but those outside Lexington may never have heard.

It is amazing how many stories of problems for Henry's tickets keep cropping up, and yet voters are still not recognizing all these news events.

It's not like these are unimportant or trivial stories, either. Nearly all involve items that are normally by themselves each full blown scandals.

[Conservative]

10:33 am is dead on, she got elected because of the name of her past husband was the same as her current name. I find it interesting that after being remarried and having children with her new husband that she has kept the name of her former husband. Some women like to keep their maiden name, or to use their maiden name and their husbands name, but it is very odd to keep the name of your former husband unless you are simply living off his name recognition. Mrs. True wants to put everyone on the state payroll in her family including her new husband, does he not have a job or does he have to live off the name of his wife's former husband as well. I hope that guy (the other rene true) is not paying alimony, it looks like she took his name and is living fairly well. Who gets remarried and keeps the name of her former Husband, that is really wierd. Her current husband seems to put up with it, to each their own. So this woman that was a secretary for her past husband rene true, used his name to get elected when the other rene true took a job with a former governor, has kept the job because she will not change her name, has tried to employ her entire family with the state, lets her mom double dip, and denies knowing anything about it, comes from a questionable bankground, gets remarried, has babies with the new husband, still keeps her former Husbands name, is running for Lt. Governor and we are supposed to believe she is qualified for that job as well as being one step away from the Governorship. I do not think so. If that is the case we should all change our name to someone with great name recognition, and regardless of our lot in life or our talent level, we can be in charge.

Sincerely,

Billary Clinton

[Conservative]

"My experience of working with family members is that they are held to a higher standard than anyone else," True said. "We go above and beyond, making certain that there is absolutely no favoritism played."

Who believes this garbage. Apparently she has a lot of experience working with Family at the expense of the tax payer.

Henry is not any better and I do not even think he would go this low as to allow his mother to double dip on the tax payers. But he states that has no problem with it. I bet he does, but this was the only person he could find to run with him, a person that assesses taxes on people every year. Homeowners should understand that her operating cost to pay her salary, her moms salary and her husband come from yearly increases in Property tax. Just remember that at the voting booth.

"I would not be critical of anyone who would win their office and not fire their mom," Henry said.

Not only did she not fire her mother or ask her to step down which her mother did when she retired, she hired her mom back to double dip. WoW! these are the people we want in charge.

What a corrupt bunch! Everyone goes on about the Cornbread Mafia in Eastern Kentucky but the stinkiest BS always seems to come from other places. They have only scratched the surface here. All the Dems have baggage. I hope they nominate Henry or Miller; that will make for the most entertaining Negative ads. Shine on in November!

From the stories of successful members of his running mate winning office, it appears Henry chose well. Taulbees and Trues have proven vote-getting power in Fayette County. Mrs. True will take away some of the Beshear and/or Miller votes [in truth, the same people who must decide whether to look ahead with Miller or behind with Beshear] in that county, both of whom must rely on Fayette's large numbers to overcome their low numbers elsewhere in the state. Miller's choice of Jefferson County's Irv Maze seems to have taken that into consideration. Beshear's going to the east where Stumbo has a lock on several large Primary-voting counties was a waste. It would have made sense if Mongiardo was from the west - where no one is from, but he isn't. But in the end, people aren't voting for Maze or True or Stumbo, they are voting for the top of the ticket.

And it still looks like Henry will easily win the Primary. The question is can Miller catch Lunsford and his dollar-train to make the runoff?

All I have to say is BLUEGRASS CONSPIRACY. The book. Check it out at your local library. You'll learn the truth about the True/Taulbee family.