AG King boosts top aides salaries (be sure and read the whole article)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
by KIM CHANDLER and CHARLES J. DEAN
Birmingham News staff writers
Attorney General Troy King used his appointment authority to boost the salaries of top aides, designating one with no legal expertise as a paralegal while dramatically increasing the pay of another just days after that aide finished man aging Kings election campaign. In the case of another aide, King promoted him in steps over nine months from an unpaid summer intern not yet graduated from college to chief aide earning almost as much as entry-level lawyers.
Not receiving raises has not been a problem for another King employee — 24-year-old John W. Godwin. Godwin started working in the attorneys general office as an unpaid intern last summer, when he was a senior at Troy University. Shortly after arriving in Kings office, Godwin was put on the payroll at $10 an hour. Over the next nine months, Godwin rapidly ascended the ladder. In July 2007, King appointed him as a special administrative assistant earning $39,456 a year. He completed his degree in broadcast journalism in December, and on March 27 was named to his current title of executive assistant, a job paying $57,504 annually, according to state records.
"J.W. is an exceptional young man who is the chief aide to the attorney general and who is almost indispensable in terms of the many functions he carries out in this office," Bence said. Bence said Godwins duties include policy research and constituent relations, and he serves as a liaison between the attorney general and the staff. Godwin travels with King as part of his duties, such as accompanying him to this years National Association of Attorneys General Conference.
E-mail: kchandler@bhamnews.com
Any naysayers out there who still think there is nothing to the gay rumors? Anyone still think the media isn't investigating because 'there is nothing there"?
In the last week or so the AP did a story on Troy's extraordinary salary.
The Montgomery Advertiser, The Opelika-Auburn News, The Birmingham News and probably a few others that I have missed have written subsequent editorials about King's salary.
NBC13 asked Troy outright if there was anything to the rumors.
The media is HOT on this story. They are picking away at King's teflon flak jacket little by little. I predict we are mere days away from exposing the pink tutu underneath. I just spoke with a very trusted source who says there are actually pictures that would confirm this without a doubt. Without sounding like some sort of perverted weirdo.... I'd really love to get my hands on those pics. I don't wanna see'um...but damn I wanna see'um!
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11 comments:
Wow! Who does he think he is fooling? To go from $10/hr to $57,000+ in less than a year? Accompanies him on out-of-town trips? Is the liasion? Good grief, how embarrassing for all of us taxpayers. This is soooo in our face.
A little bit of internet research yielded the following article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/04/28/cb.salaries.grads/index.html
$32,250 is the *average* entry-level salary for someone in journalism. Given Alabama's penchant for being below average in almost every category (except obesity...woohoo!), I'm guessing the average salary around here is in the mid-$20s to start. So how in the hell is this guy making nearly $60K annually when the ink on his diploma has barely dried? Nevermind the description of his duties...
I'm with you on the pictures, Loretta. I don't want to see them, but deep down, I'd pay good money to see them!
By way of comparison, wouldn't it be interesting to see how many graduates of America's best J-schools (i.e. Mizzou, Columbia, et al.) get a job right out of school making 60-Large per year?
Is there some mechanism in Alabama government whereby salary outrages like this can be challenged?
Hey Bob,
I know of no mechanism whereby this could be challenged. If, by law, King has the power to raise salaries of his employees then the only way to change that would be to go through the legislature I think.
I totally see how the gay rumors are bad and how giving raises for sexual favors is bad..... But, really, if the guy is doing a good job in his position why not pay him well. It's the same flawed thinking of quantity over quality. I haven't been following this story very closely (this is the first I've heard about it), but if someone is worth $50,000+ a year, who are we to say he shouldn't be paid it. If the gay rumors are true, I want to be next in line for the $50,000 blow job..... hot damn
anon...we are the taxpayers...the people who actually pay the salary of the people in question. We should have a say in how much some young kid with ZERO experience for the position he is in (job wise position) makes. Otherwise we might go bankrupt if elected officials can set any salary they want for their lovers.
Maybe we're getting closer to King's departure. I mean it's gotta be driving Riley nuts that Troy Fancy Pants King is the butt (boy) of jokes, scrutiny, & candidate for next big GOP Gay outing.
If I knew how to make one of those gambling boards found in country service stations during football season I'd make one and start taking bets on what day he will swallow his pride and resign.
King will swallow something . . .don't know if it will be his PRIDE though . . .
If he's that damn good at what he's doing, I think the two of them should work off the taxpayer burden by setting up a site and giving out free tips to the public. I want to know what's making those bj's worth 57k a year.
COME ON GUYS!! WE KNOW HE'S GOING BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME. (THUS THE EXTENSIVE COVER UP, & LACK OF MEDIA) HE HAS TO WORK OUT ALL THE LEGISTICS 1ST! i.e. I'LL DO & SAY THIS IF YOU ALL AGREE NOT TO PROSECUTE ME FOR MY BLATENT ABUSE OF OFFICE & POWER"! THERE ARE "CRIMINAL CHARGES" TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE YA JUST START "SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE" YA KNOW. ;O)
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