Sheriff's Joe McGinn's daughter was paid more than $56,000 over the last six years for photographic work she did for the county, including a little over $6,000 she did for her father's own department.
Some people would call that "chicken feed" and they'd be right. But it certainly looks bad. Before McGinn was elected sheriff his family had the political connections to get most of the photography work the county got done. After his election, he turned the business over to his daughter to run and she kept getting the work.
After initial inquiries were made by FOX 29's Jeff Cole, it was decided that Kelly McGinn would be asked to reimburse the county for all the money paid to her by the sheriff's department since 2003 when her dad took over there. She agreed because if she didn't the likelihood of her seeing any more no-bid county photography work would be nil.
I'd be willing to bet a family portrait from Photo Express that Joe McGinn shelled out the six grand for his daughter, as well he should of. This was his boo boo, not her's. He should say so.
Until somebody noticed this obvious sweetheart deal and decided to make a stink about it, nobody cared. But political leaders don't like being embarrassed by questions about invoices and conflicts of interest. After all, it could lead journalists to start asking question about real money, like the hundreds of thousands of dollars the county shells out annually to connected lawyers for sweetheart solicitorships.
But that's another story for another day.
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