Nepotism Questions Raised After Husband’s Promotion

The husband of Linda Caballero, director of the state Health and Welfare Department, has received a $12,000 promotion to the newly created job of deputy administrator of the Welfare Division.

Welfare Division Administrator Judy Brooks said the promotion of Larry Drost does not violate the state’s nepotism law. But Attorney General Alan Lance’s government ethics handbook, published in September, raises questions about the propriety of such an appointment.

Drost, who had been the division’s computer system manager for the Medicaid program since mid-1993, was promoted to deputy administrator on Oct. 20, according to state payroll records.

He and Caballero were married on July 8, 1995, just seven months after then Gov.-elect Phil Batt had announced that Caballero would return from Louisiana to run the department in his new administration.

Caballero has total responsibility for the largest state agency, answering directly to Batt, although some policy is fashioned by the Health and Welfare Board, whose members are appointed by the governor subject to state Senate confirmation.

Caballero promoted Brooks to division director 10 weeks after she took over as department director.

But Brooks said the decision to promote Caballero’s husband was hers alone and “it was never even hinted at or discussed with Linda,” although Brooks has consulted Caballero on other personnel decisions.

“The decision was so clear, the person was so qualified, there was no need to do it,” Brooks said.

Under state ethics laws, public officials are barred from appointing their spouses to public jobs. Lance’s guidelines specifically advise that employees already on the payroll can retain their existing jobs when a situation with the potential of nepotism arises - but “without the possibility of promotion, advancement or assignment to another position.”