By Jay W. Ragley, Campaign Manager for Mick Zais

This week, Speaking Frankly focuses on the record of fiscal mismanagement by the liberal Democratic nominee for South Carolina State Superintendent of Education.

Family budgets are being squeezed across the country and especially in South Carolina. In tough economic times, families watch every cent so that none of it is wasted. Everyone wants their government to run the same way: watch every penny, make sure none of it is wasted on fraud and that the taxpayers are protected.

As he says at every available opportunity because he loves Washington, Mick’s opponent served as Chief-of-Staff and Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education from 1994-2000. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Department, and was responsible for the financial management of the agency.

The truth is under the leadership of the Democratic nominee, the U.S. Department of Education mismanaged millions of taxpayer dollars, failed financial audits, and millions of taxpayer dollars were embezzled. Have a look at the record of fiscal mismanagement by the liberal Democratic nominee for State Superintendent of Education:

FACT: During the administration of Mick’s opponent, the U.S. Department of Education failed financial audits during the last three years of the Clinton Administration. (The Washington Post, 04/04/2001)

FACT: According to the financial watchdog of the agency, the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Education mismanaged at least $450 million of taxpayer money under the leadership of the Democratic nominee for State Superintendent. (The Washington Post, 04/04/2001)

FACT: Mick’s opponent allowed employees from the U.S. Department of Education to embezzle $1.9 million of taxpayer money to purchase two luxury SUVs and real estate. (The Washington Post, 09/20/2000; 04/04/2001)

FACT: During the tenure of the Democratic nominee for State Superintendent, six people plead guilty to stealing taxpayer money to purchase $300,000 of computer equipment and $600,000 of overtime pay. (The Washington Post, 04/04/2001)

FACT: In a memorandum to Mick’s opponent, the Inspector General writes, “Consequently, the Department did not fully satisfy the General Accounting Office (GAO) Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government in all cases.” (Inspection Memorandum from Assistant Inspector General Mary Mitchelson to Deputy Education Secretary Frank Holleman, 10/13/00)

FACT: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a special bill to order a fraud audit of the U.S. Department of Education by a strong, bipartisan vote of 380-19. Even liberals Nancy Pelosi and John Spratt voted for the bill. (House Bill 4079, Roll Call Vote #258, 06/13/2000)

These facts won’t be found on the website of Mick’s liberal Democratic opponent, his television commercials, his mailers or his stump speech. He’s spent the entire campaign trail hiding from his failure as a manager of taxpayer money.

Speaking Frankly, every parent, teacher, administrator, legislator and taxpayer should be greatly concerned about record of fiscal mismanagement by Mick’s opponent as a Washington bureaucrat. In a time of lean budgets where every dollar should make it to the classroom, what assurances can the Democratic nominee for State Superintendent give the public that their tax dollars won’t end up being used to buy luxury SUVs? What assurances can he give that millions of taxpayer dollars won’t be mismanaged?

If he couldn’t be trusted with your tax dollars in Washington, should he be trusted with your tax dollars in Columbia? No way. Vote Mick Zais on November 2.