State Auditor of Public Accounts Crit Luallen has been named Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine. That’s kind of a big deal.
“This is truly an honor and quite a pleasant surprise. I believe in the value of public service and I have worked to build a record of integrity and competence throughout my career,” Luallen said. “But I am also fortunate to have had some wonderful people around me who contributed to any successes I have had.”
From Governing:
Frankfort’s Fiscal Enforcer
THEY DON’T COME MORE AUTHENTICALLY Kentucky than Crit Luallen. She’s a descendant of two Kentucky governors and of a prominent whiskey distiller, as well as a familiar face in Frankfort’s halls of power. What Luallen clearly hasn’t inherited, however, is the loose ethical standard that has given the Bluegrass State more than its share of political scandals over the years.
As the state’s top fiscal cop, Luallen exposes corruption wherever she finds it. And she doesn’t stop at issuing scathing reports. Luallen has forged partnerships with the state attorney general, the FBI, the state police and the U.S. Attorney’s office so that any potential criminal activity she uncovers doesn’t wind up, as she puts it, “going down a black hole.” Since she took over as auditor in 2004, Luallen has referred an unprecedented 120 cases to law enforcement, yielding prosecutions of 18 public officials. She doesn’t worry much about the political consequences: More than half of the people busted as a result of Luallen’s audits were, like her, Democrats.
This is major. And I’d bet money that some of Papaw Beshear’s folks are grinding their teeth as we speak.
Kudos to Crit! It’s a shame she isn’t running for Governor. She’d win in a landslide.
The other 2009 recipients include: Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley; Steve Jennings, CIO of Harris County, Texas; Youngstown, OH Mayor Jay Williams; Pete Rahn, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation; Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed; Minnesota State Rep. Phyllis Kahn; Steve Hewitt, city administrator of Greensburg, Kansas.
16 responses so far ↓
1 Mark // Oct 26, 2009 at 10:10 am
Truly well deserved
2 Mark H (Not Hebert) // Oct 26, 2009 at 10:35 am
I couldn’t agree more. It’s a shame that someone with the integrity of Crit, isn’t narcissistic or slimy enough to have a legitimate shot at being our governor.
3 E // Oct 26, 2009 at 11:16 am
A politician to make Kentucky proud…for a change.
[THEY DON’T COME MORE AUTHENTICALLY Kentucky than Crit Luallen]
I’m assuming Trey Grayson has given his stamp of approval to Crit being called “Authentically Kentucky” ?
4 Watcher // Oct 26, 2009 at 12:58 pm
At least we can sleep at night knowing not everyone in Frankfort is skewed.
5 Thunder Storm // Oct 26, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Great honor for a great Kentuckian. Finally a positive for the state of Kentucky.
Very well deserved and please keep it up
6 Conservative // Oct 26, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Sorry, but I don’t, won’t and never will jump on the Crit bandwagon or join her fan club.
I’ve seen her in action behind the scenes in Frankfort. I wouldn’t trust her to bring me the change back from a White Castle run.
7 jake // Oct 26, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Conservative: That’s a glowing review from the very person who would lick Ernie Fletcher’s dingus clean if he asked them nicely enough.
8 Conservative // Oct 26, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I make no bones about being a Fletcher loyalist, but I certainly wouldn’t go that far.
Ask how Crit manipulated changes at the top in the old Revenue Cabinet during Patton’s pre-Tina Conner days. That’ll be a quick lesson in what a dirty player she is.
9 jake // Oct 26, 2009 at 7:55 pm
You sound like a jilted lover.
10 Bruce in Louisville // Oct 26, 2009 at 9:54 pm
A solid honor, and well deserved. Congrats to Crit and her department.
11 ahem // Oct 27, 2009 at 8:11 am
she has done quite a few investigations on local officials and the award may be deserved. However, it is based on these huge reports on spending by the Lexington Airport, Kentucky League of Cities or the Kentucky Association of Counties, she shouldn’t get credit for those investigations…all three of them were largely brought out by reports from the Herald and blog sites like this one. She undertook audits of these three after we all read about them in the papers and internet sites.
12 jake // Oct 27, 2009 at 8:18 am
That’s not even remotely accurate. Considering that the KACo and KLC audits haven’t even been released.
If you can read, you’d know (from above) that she has referred 120 cases to law enforcement. Meaning she’s done more than focus on a few big name audits.
13 Conservative // Oct 27, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I don’t really care what I sound like to you, I just have no respect for Crit Luallen because I’ve seen beyond the public persona.
14 jake // Oct 27, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I’d bet a $100,000 you care. Otherwise you wouldn’t be consistently lobbing deep, personal attacks anonymously. Otherwise you wouldn’t be anonymously spewing horse shit Every. Single. Day.
15 ahem // Oct 27, 2009 at 2:31 pm
will back track slightly…Jake you are right that audits aren’t done…but she launched the audits in each of these AFTER the media and blogs put the stories out there.
16 jake // Oct 27, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Based on what I’ve seen and heard from law enforcement, that’s not the case. There were alleged investigations or preliminary investigations ongoing when the auditor was notified. And then the press was tipped off.
I remember poking and prodding her office to investigation myself, to be honest. Apparently all that was already under way.
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