Breaking News: Craig Gerhart Resigns!
STAFF
Published: June 3, 2009Longtime county executive Craig Gerhart has resigned.
His announcement comes a day after indictments in a corruption scheme involving Prince William County’s Office of Information Technology. Gerhart has not indicated the bid-rigging case has anything to do with his decision.
Gerhart’s last day with the county government will be on Friday, July 3. Gerhart will start work for Amtrak on Monday, July 6.
Gerhart will work for Amtrak as a full-time independent contractor as the Organizational Strategist for Amtrak’s Policy and Development.
Stay with insidenova.com for a full story on the county executive’s resignation.
Washington Post, Tuesday, June 3, 2009
In one of the largest embezzlement cases in county history, prosecutors secured indictments Monday on 153 charges against Gupta, 45, of Woodbridge; Roessler, 50, of Woodbridge; Roessler’s brother Vernon, 42, of Dale City; and Richard Billingsley, 41, of Springfield. Charges include racketeering, bid rigging, forgery, obtaining money by false pretenses and money laundering over a five-year period.
Law enforcement sources close to the investigation said yesterday that Gupta and Roessler set up the company and arranged for it to win lucrative bids with the IT office. Two sources, both of whom spoke anonymously because of the ongoing probe, said the scheme involved submitting fake bids in the names of legitimate county contractors so that Praetorian could then compete with and undercut those bids.
Gupta was able to hide his actions because he was in charge of the process, authorities said. Officials said yesterday that there were 26 cases in which the men gave themselves contracts and made up bids from other companies.
Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert, Police Chief Charlie Deane, and County Executive Craig Gerhart discussed the 153 indictments handed down yesterday in a press release. The FBI is also involved because approximately $500,000 in federal grant money was tied to the scheme. This appears to be only the beginning.
This story seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Phony companies, phony presidents of companies, fake company letterhead all are components of this tale of intrigue, graft and corruption.
The Washington Post story is listed above.
When do those companies who were denied bids kick in for their piece of the pie? Will these crimes affect our AAA bond rating? How will the corruption affect future grants? $500,000 is quite a jump from the previously reported $90,000. Was that earlier figure inaccurate reporting or is more being uncovered.
Corey Stewart continues his mantra:
“This is an embarrassment to the county, and the board will want answers as to why the internal controls in place the past five years were so weak and so easily bypassed,” said Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart.
I guess voters will be asking the same question in 2011 and those wanting to be re-elected will be having to come up with a few answers.
I know next to nothing about Gerhart – not being that familiar with structure of county gov’t – so have no idea if this is a coincidence or linked to the bid rigging scandal.
However, leaving Gerhart aside – my gut feel is the dollar amounts we are seeing may be just the tip of the iceberg unfortunatley. Most scandals of this nature generally play out this way – you see one dollar amount first, then as the investigation continues more and more amounts come out. I have a bad feeling the news on this will get worse rather than better.
Again, have no idea whether Gerhart’s resignation just odd timing (if so incredibly BAD timing) or is in some way related to this mess.
MH – in your post you said “This story seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Phony companies, phony presidents of companies, fake company letterhead all are components of this tale of intrigue, graft and corruption. The Washington Post story is listed above.”
Indeed – perhaps one day it will be a best selling non-fiction story of intrigue, or made into a motion picture! We can start casting that rogues gallery of 4 people who had their pictures plastered on the insidenova website – I assume that was their mugshots.
Well, there’s at least some justice in this. Good to see the system working, albeit slowly.
Made my day!!
Absolutely no surprise to me that Gerhart, who embraced a culture of corruption in regards to illegal immigration, sat and slept while this happened under his nose. Clearly he is totally inept and useless.
Did I read this correctly “Gerhart’s last day with the county government will be on Friday, July 3. Gerhart will start work for Amtrak on Monday, July 6.”?
Wow, what does that say about Joe Bidens Amtrak. Isn’t Joe Biden trying to get them billions in bailout money? Now they are hiring someone under indictment for bid-rigging, nice. No corruption will go on there with potentially billions to play around with.
[ED. Note: Mr Gerhart is not under endictment for bid-rigging or any thing else]
If Amtrak has any sense they won’t keep him for long. Hopefully this buffoon will lose his huge salary and income level at some point, maybe even end up in a simple townhouse surrounded by illegal flophouses. the guy may end up a card-carrying member of HSM yet.
HUH Rick? The real culprits of the downfall of American are not the defenselfless illegal aliens, hoping for a better future, but the greed of those in power, like Wallstreet, like AIG, like the multitude of other white collar crimes that are committed, they will be the ultimate demise of our way of life.
I think one of the prime problems we have, symptomatic of our decadence, is that ineffectual beauraucrats like Gerhart go from job-to-job, failing but continuing to draw high salaries, as part of a ruling elite that protect each other. The guy is an abject failure and now has a shiny new job at Amtrak.
Admin Note: Wasn’t he with the County for 26 years? If so, one could hardly claim he was going from job-to-job. Additionally, suggestions that he was an abject failure are absurd. –Alanna
@Elena
Defenseless illegal aliens. How many citizens have to be killed by illegal immigrants for folks to drop that “defenseless” joke? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens-of-Thousands? The demise of our nation and way of life is way more complicated than white-collar greed. Or do you think Rome fell from just one or two problems?
Admin Note: You do realize that close to half of legal immigrants today were at one point in time undocumented? We have previously undocumented persons serving as police officers, army personnel, doctors, etc…? There’s no link between immigration status and murderers. Think about it.
It was not Gerhart who neutered the Immigration Resolution, it was the entire Board. Some are still upset that we are not in federal court defending against racial profiling law suits. This is not a step toward achieving those law suits. You still have an 8-0 board decision to reverse, and that is not going to happen. This mean-spirited celebration some are expressing is simply an indication some of you have taken the policy much too personally. This scandal and the loss of Craig Gerhart is no cause to celebrate.
#1) Gerhart is not under indictment.
#2) Just maybe Gerhart had planned to leave – this doesn’t seem like
the type of job that just pops up.
#3) I would hardly call Gerhart a job hopper with 25+ years in PWC
I think he’s sick of Stewart. I think it’s just that simple.
I’ve heard county employees are sick of Stewart too. I don’t think that’s limited to those in top positions.
I’ve heard that county employees are sick of Santa Clause and the ice cream man… from top to bottom.
They also hate puppies and rainbows, who cares, there are plenty of people who don’t like their boss. So what…
The Exec leaving is typical of any government where they have found massive fraud or other shenanigans. The top is left holding the bag even when blameless. Gerhart most likely had nothing to do with any of the criminal activity but when something like this happens on your watch, it doesn’t look good. People get mad at whoever is at the top for “letting it happen” even though the Exec didn’t really do anything wrong. The timing is no surprise either because guys at this level have head hunters contacting them all the time. All they would have to do is pick up the phone and say “ok, now I am considering ….” He would have had plenty of time to do so because they’ve known for almost 6 weeks. Anyone in his position would have done the same thing he did and there isn’t anything wrong with that. Sometimes you have to just cut your losses.
The BOCS had nothing to do with this other than they were the body that the auditor reported to. The management of individual employees is strictly in Gerhart’s hands except for a very select few upper level managers. They can’t hire or fire IT guys. They don’t even negotiate their employment contracts. That would all fall under the County Executive who is in charge of making the government work smoothly while putting into place the policies set by the BOCS. The internal controls would have also been determined and set by the Exec. That is why responsibility falls to him, regardless of his innocence in the actual criminal behavior and not the BOCS.
What is more worrisome about his leaving is that it signals that the 4 indictments might be just the beginning. I would guess that there is much more coming down the road on this. Perhaps it was happening independently in other departments or the gallery of rogues is larger than initially thought. If so, it would reflect right back on Gerhart so he is smart to leave now with his head up.
Oh, I see….it’s all an AMAZING coincidence!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA
Being the County Exec in any jurisdiction is a tough job. I feel certain that being the County Exec in PW Co for the past 3 years has been extremely trying. I think Mr. Gerhardt did a good job and I do not think for one minute he is leaving because of the rigging scandal. Try being the liason between the residents and BOCS, employees and the BOCS. Tough road to hoe. He probably found a better opportunity. I say good for him.
Well, you are all encouraged to appy for the job!!! Nothing holding you back Especially with all this talent.
Haha…I see the green-eyed monster is alive and well in posterland. I’d love to see the critics try to handle Gerhardt’s job for two days – much less handle the IT position! Ya wanna smear – try smearing Corey Stewart, who is, afterall, the the Board Chair. Didn’t he sign off on contracts as well? Not fair? But impugning Gerhardt is?
The problem with Stewart is it is so hard to tell the whole truth without exposing his lies. Very frustrating for any non-partisan government official. Word is out about Corey. I don’t know who would want to take this job honestly.
Anyone who wants this job has a larger ego than brain. Not this board. You can’t be an independant thinker you’d have to sign on as a puppet.
Remember County employees didn’t like Gupta either.
I wish Mr. Gerhart all the success in the world. Thanks, Wendy, for clearing up a few glaring misconceptions some of our contributors have. I was racing towards the end, so you saved the day.
I am trying to figure out Hello, Slowpoke and Rick seem to hate Craig Gerhart so much. Sounds like Greg-think to me. Just a hunch.
I am happy for Mr. Gerhart. It sounds like he has landed a highly desirable job. Our loss is Amtrak’s gain.
I expect he is simply tired of dealing with all the idiotic issues he has had to deal with in recent years. And I would hardly call a quarter of a century ‘job hopping.’ Frankly, I wonder why some of you negative nellies have time to be on here moaning and groaning over Craig Gerhart. I always found him to be a very hard working, personable county employee.
But Juturna, Gerhart was not a puppet. He told the Board the truth. And helped them steer clear of all the pitfalls of anti-immigrant electioneering. That’s why Corey Stewart and Greg Letiecq are so happy to see him leave. I hope that “puppet” is not on the job description. County Executive is supposed to be non-Corey Stewart: non-partisan.
I don’t think Juturna is suggesting that Gerhart was a puppet. I think she is suggesting that any new CXO would be expected to be a puppet with this board of supervisors.
I expect that is why all the vitriole we hear here and on the blogs….Gerhart was not a puppet, therefore he made enemies.
I think he is blowing them off by leaving so soon. Agree with Wendy – these jobs don’t just pop up. This must have been in the works for several months. C’mon folks this has been coming for months if not a year or so.
I’m so glad that the BOCS decided to hire an Independent Auditor that was able to bypass Mr. Gerhardt and report only to them. They were able to spot this fiasco that had been occurring for the last four years. Great Job BOCS!
Red circles are encouraging Greg to apply for the IT job. Now there’s a connection I never made.
Ha!!! I wonder if Greg has the talent necessary. Well, let’s just see if he can walk the walk or if he is just all talk. Let’s guess we will see some lengthy tome explaining what he does and what county IT does and how he is over qualified or something else that excuses him from applying.
On the other hand, if he’s qualified, it’s time to man up and go for it. Openings range from Chief to Assistant Chief to Developers (whatever they do…?)
Looks like several people might be applying for those jobs.
I hear The Duster wants Chief of Police’s job.
Maybe the Penguin wants Gerharts.
Somehow I doubt the county pays its software developers very well. Being a software engineer – I have to believe I’m making far more money in private industry than the county would ever be willing to pay me – not to mention my job is far more interesting than anything I could possibly be doing for the county as far as programming goes. It comes down to – “you get what you pay for” and I have to believe the county probably doesn’t pay huge huge salaries like private industry does for senior software engineers.
Funny I thought do the right thing wanted the Chief’s job as top cop.
Well, bottom line, these folks have been bitching for years about how they would and could do it better. Now is the time if they’ve got the you know whats…..
Pay might not be top dollar but good health insurance + real retirement pension certainly sweentens the pot. Not to mention the commute.
Good Time Charlie wants Charlies job. Good, always better to have competition.
Not like running for BOCS where no one wants the jobs and most run unopposed. Now how the heck is THAT representing the community???!!!!
Let those who have been bitching step up to the plate and serve the citizens of PW County. Let them put their money where their mouths are.
The bitchers don’t seem to have a lot of you know whats so perhaps not many applications will go in.
Welcome Blightedone. That isn’t the most flattering name.
I don’t think that the independent auditor discovered the discrepancies. I think the auditors were called in after evidence of wrongdoing was discovered.
I hope that somehow the money can be recovered.
Now that those other than the Chair are cleared to address the investigation, we are getting the facts, it appears. In his defense, he couldn’t have all the facts if the investigation was in progress, I mean that wouldn’t make sense would it??
Sorry, I get a real retirement pension in my current job in private industry, and trust me – my work is far far more exciting. Not only is pay and benefits important to me, but so is the nature of the job – feeling like I’m actually accomplishing something important and there’s something out there I can point to that I was the designer of. Then again my job is not purely software anyway, even though my title is senior software engineer. But I do have a pension coming to me – both from this job and also a former job, so I have two pensions actually. The county doesn’t have an exclusive on a pension plan, that’s for sure. That’s in addition to 401K with company match.
I suspect too I’d take a heck of a pay cut to go work for the county – don’t think they could afford my salary. Same is probably true of a lot of my peers in the software industry here in Northern VA – many of whom work for defense contractors (like me) who have excellent pension plans and other benefits.
I can sympathize with the county that their budget is limited, and probably very hard for them to attract talented software developers (maybe they are not really software engineers – there is a difference). It is very hard to recruit good talent, let’s put it that way.
Gainesville Resident, don’t bank on it. Check out some of the county salaries. You will be pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised.
http://www.insidenova.com/isn/online/pwc_employee_salary_database/
Well, Gainesville, you are demonstrating how hard it must be to run a county government with a community expecting top notch service and quality product with not enough bucks to hire good talent. Gee, sounds like a tough job. As you say they are probably not software engineers….recruiting you is unlikely.
You are fortunate to have a private industry pension, they are indeed very very rare. Most private companies transferred to 401K’s during the late 80’s or early 90’s. I wouldn’t budge….
By the way, am not rationalizing away the recent events… 🙂
The Chairman WAS given the fact no less than ten days ago…then suddenly the same facts showed up on the other side….hmm…why did that happen?… So why would anyone give more facts to that guy? So he could share what he knows? The police do not trust the Chairman’s office.
Gerheart had no idea this was taking place until it was brought to him…a manager delegates…as does the Board Chairman… if one is guilty, so is the other.
Well, there is ethical wrongdoing and legal wrongoing…. The former is rarely acknowledged by the “leader”, look at congress.
How could someone comment on an investigation before any arrests are made. Wouldn’t that compromise the outcome of any trial if ‘facts’ were put out there too soon?? That doesn’t sound smart to me.
My husband and I have been discussing this very same point. Why the PWCBOS being made out to be the “heroes” of the day by some is way beyond my belief. I’ve worked for several people in my day who lived by the rule of delegate, delegate, delegate, but they always seemed to be following up their delegating.
It seems, if one is to believe the News and Messenger, that the supervisors have their noses out of joint for not being kept in the loop. Just out of curiosity, do the words ‘On-going investigation’ mean anything to them? How can they possibly be in the loop?
It sounds like one was too much in the loop and had too many loose lips. We all know what loose lips sink. Why would someone run their mouth in the middle of an investigation? How typical.
All awhile that certain someone was feeding his buddy info, he was pointing fingers at the county executive. That behavior, to me, is almost dishonorable.
It’s not the first time information has been spoon-fed to the “buddy”. I doubt it will the last, I am sorry to say.
Rasputin – thanks for that link. I’m trying to find “software developer” or something in title but am unable to. Even just tried software. Maybe though it only lists higher up salaries (management). No one ever accused me of wanting to be in management though! Anyway I’ll have to dig in more in that link.
Juturna – you are right – I am lucky – most private industry no longer gives out pensions. My old company (IBM) discontinued theirs awhile back but that was after I left (well, IBM sold the division to what is now Lockheed Martin anyway – so didn’t matter – I wouldn’t have been an IBM employee if I had stayed rather than take buyout offer). However, pension plans are the norm in the defense industry – most of the large defense contractors have pension plans, and other excellent benefits – and they all make sure they are very competitive with what they consider their “industry peers”. I do realize how fortunate I am to have an IBM pension coming to me, and I’m now working on my 2nd pension with my current employer – I’m already vested in it – but the longer I work there the bigger that pension will be.
No question though, the pension is a good benefit for county workers too.
Anyway, to get back on topic – I have no real opinion of this latest turn of events with Gerhardt. Could very well be this was in the works all along – and indeed, no matter when it was announced (a month before, a month after) people would try to say he was being forced out or it had something to do with the big rigging scandal. It did happen on his watch though, so as the “big boss” he bears some amount of responsibility for not overseeing that group better – that would be my take on it. Of course, those kinds of things are notoriously hard to detect, unfortunately.
By the way – I agree with your comment Juturna – the county is in a tough spot trying to attract and retain top talent when their budget is hurting – it is a difficult position for any manager to be in trying to do so in touch economic times with tight budgets. So I don’t envy them a bit – if you can’t offer top notch salaries you won’t get top talent, or you won’t be able to retain it, which leads to high turnover rate and the organization loses continuity and “learned experience” for lack of a better word. I’ve seen it first hand in some organizations I’ve come across in my career. The pension plan is one thing that could be touted though – it certainly is a somewhat rare benefit these days. But my gut feel is the salaries aren’t comparable – although might be comparable to “software developer” salaries, but not “software engineer salaries” – I just don’t know without seeing some numbers. I admit i did not yet dig much into the link Rasputin sent – will have to do so this evening when I have more time. I’m sure I could put in Gerhardt’s name and get his salary – but that would be a management salary so isn’t what I’m trying to get at. I am curious though – but will save those searches for this evening. Also curious what the head of the OIT group made – again that’s a management position, I would expect it to be a high salary. If it isn’t more than my salary, let’s say I’d be disappointed!
Actually, I finally figured out I could just select $80K or higher on that salary thing and see everyone’s salaries over $80K. Let’s just say this, I would have to take a pay cut it appears to go work for the county. There are some “Engineer IV” positions, while probably not software related, still are low salaries by my standards. I can see how the county would have trouble attracting and retaining talent. There are management positions that make roughly my salary – so that’s not good. Looks like if I wanted to work in the county and retain my salary I’d have to get into management, something I’m very loathe to do. No one in their right mind would want me in management, let’s put it that way.
It is very interesting though – and I’ve only looked at the first page or two of the list of salaries over $80K. Will look more tonight, but my initial conclusion is – county salaries are low compared to private industry – which really does not surprise me – you could pick any county government or local government anywhere in the country and find that I expect. Otherwise our taxes would be sky high! It is a very difficult position to be in as a hiring manager in the county gov’t, however.
That was a good link you provided Rasputin – will study it in more detail tonight.