THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 30, 1995 TAG: 9512300404
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Sen. Edgar S. Robb, R-Charlottesville, defeated last month in his re-election bid, has been named as the Department of Correctional Education's first investigator.
Robb, a former FBI agent and a security consultant, will investigate staff disputes, complaints against workers by inmates, as well as prisoner assaults on department personnel.
His salary has not been set, but it is expected to be about $40,000, more than twice the $18,000 he made as a part-time legislator.
Democrats criticized the selection of Robb as further proof that Republican Gov. George F. Allen puts politics ahead of professional credentials in state hiring.
``It certainly looks funny,'' said Sen. R. Edward Houck, D-Spotsylvania and incoming chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. ``But again, I don't think that's anything different from what we've seen from this administration since the day it was sworn in.''
Allen administration officials denied that cronyism or politics played any part in Robb's appointment.
``I can say with a great deal of confidence that Sen. Robb brings a great deal of experience to the table,'' said Allen spokesman Ken Stroupe.
``You'll search the state over, and you won't find a person with better qualifications than mine,'' said Robb, Allen's hometown senator, who was denied a second term by Democrat Emily Couric.
Robb was hired by Walter A. McFarlane, prison education chief, and starts his new job Tuesday.
The administration approached Robb, who agreed before Christmas to take the position, McFarlane said.
McFarlane said that his 500-employee agency has had to rely on inspectors from the Department of Corrections and the Department of Youth and Family Services to handle the investigations that will be Robb's responsibility.
Houck questioned whether the job was necessary, saying McFarlane's department should use investigators from the state police and local prosecutors' offices. by CNB