DGIF Chairman Resigns

Times Dispatch and Norfolk Pilot report that DGIF chairman Dan Hoffler has resigned.

I have been following this story for a few months (here, here, here and here) and was beginning to think that $222K in political donations could buy an unlimited amount of protection from the Governor.

But with the Norfolk Pilot's investigative reporting and critical op-ed on Wednesday, the Governor must have decided that enough was enough. The Pilot requested "thousands of documents and five computer databases from the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries."

They discovered an amazing amount of questionable spending, and I urge you to read the article.

Among the highlights:

• During the 3½-year period, Woodfin, Bradbery, Caison, Boyd and Florence M. Harding, Woodfin’s assistant, spent more than $5,000 on boots. In one 18-month stretch, taxpayers bought Woodfin five pairs, one for $249. A few purchases were for other game wardens and recruits.
• Knives also were popular – in one two-month span, Caison bought eight knives worth $440, including one for $120. A member of the Special Law Assistance Program team bought 11 engraved knives at $185 each, for a total cost of $2,035.
• The written explanation for some charges did not match up with actual receipts, such as two charges from May andJune 2004 that listed a “security system” when the purchases were for two $600 car stereo/CD players.
• Bradbery and Boyd also had memberships to a Richmond health club paid by the department. Woodfin said the $25-a-month dues were necessary for Bradbery and Boyd to supervise new recruits who use the club, also at state expense.
• The department spent $4,600 for custom-molded, electronic hearing devices designed to enhance outdoor hearing and muffle gun blasts. At least $2,140 was spent for Bradbery and Caison. The devices generally are bought for game wardens who teach shooting classes. Although they are administrators, Bradbery and Caison occasionally teach, Woodfin said.