Link: Dallas Morning News: District Clerk's Office Padded Time, Attendance Records with Hundreds of False Entries
12:09 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 3, 2010
By ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News
ehousewright@dallasnews.com
Collin County District Clerk supervisors made more than 200 false entries to show employees were at work when they were not, according to a 45-page court document filed by the District Attorney's office.
The document also says that supervisors used employees' access badges to log in workers when they really weren't on the job.
Patricia Crigger, the incoming district clerk, and five other supervisors were indicted last week on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity. The indictments stem from a Texas Rangers investigation that alleges Crigger and the others pressured district clerk employees to work on Crigger's spring campaign.
Crigger defeated law office manager Alma Hays in an April 13 Republican primary runoff election. Crigger faces no Democratic opposition and is due to take office Jan. 1, replacing longtime District Clerk Hannah Kunkle, who is retiring.
The new court document alleges supervisors gave employees unauthorized paid time off in exchange for their campaign work.
The charges against Crigger, Sherry Bell, Rebecca Littrell, Amy Mathis, Lorrie Robertson and Marcia Simpson allege the women tampered with governmental records by making false entries in time and attendance records.
