Accusations of child neglect are flying in the U-S Senate campaign. Today, Democrats and Republicans each criticized the other for allegedly failing to improve child protective services. NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports.
ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY TO DEFEND DEMOCRAT JEANNE SHAHEEN?S RECORD. DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR KATIE WHEELER HAS BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR NEARLY 14 YEARS.
I?ve seen a lot of governors come and go during that time, and governor shaheen has made more of a difference for children than any new Hampshire governor before her.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS RUNNING ADS CRITICIZING SHAHEEN FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE STATE?S CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. BUT WHEELER SAID THE G-O-P IS MAKING ABUSED CHILDREN PAWNS IN A POLITICAL GAME. SHE CHARGED REPUBLICANS ON THE POWERFUL FISCAL COMMITTEE RECENTLY VOTED AGAINST HIRING MORE WORKERS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES, JUST SO THE PARTY COULD USE THE ISSUE AGAINST THE GOVERNOR.
I was incredibly upset when I realized that was the game they were playing in not hiring the workers that dcyf needs to protect children at risk. It?s just a game, it?s just a game to them, they?re not real children.
REPUBLICANS DENY THE ACCUSATION. STATE REPRESENTATIVE NEAL KURK OF WEARE CHAIRS THE FISCAL COMMITTEE. HE SAID LAWMAKERS DIDN?T WANT TO THROW MONEY BLINDLY AT THE PROBLEM.
The problem is that putting additional people into an organization that has serious management problems would not solve the problem. We really need to correct the management problems so the people that we add to the department are the ones that are needed, who can do the job, have the proper supervision and the proper training.
REPUBLICANS BLAMED SHAHEEN FOR FAILING TO MAKE A CONSISTENT EFFORT TO REFORM CHILD PROTECTION. STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROGERS JOHNSON OF STRATHAM SAID SHAHEEN NEVER EVEN ASKED FOR THE EXTRA WORKERS IN HER BUDGET.
If these issues are important, and they are, then what happened for the last five years? Why has it not been a budget priority of this governor?
IN RESPONSE, FORMER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER DONALD SHUMWAY SAID HIS DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO PURSUE FEDERAL RATHER THAN STATE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE WORKERS. HE BLAMES REPUBLICANS FOR NOT ACCEPTING THAT FEDERAL MONEY IN THE RECENT FISCAL COMMITTEE VOTE. AND HE POINTS OUT HE AND SHAHEEN DID BOLSTER THE CHILD PROTECTION FORCES BY TRANSFERRING STATE WORKERS INTO THOSE JOBS. REPUBLICANS SAY THAT WASN?T ENOUGH. MEANWHILE, ONE THING IS CLEAR. WHILE THE PARTIES FIGHT OVER WHO?S AT FAULT, THE PLAINTIFFS WHO SUCCESSFULLY SUED NEW HAMPSHIRE ON BEHALF OF ABUSED CHILDREN WILLLIKELY HEAD BACK TO COURT TO FORCE THE STATE TO HIRE MORE PROTECTIVE WORKERS. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
