Pillets strongly denies theft of files
By Wally EdgeYou should know the truth about what happened. I went to the DEP to inspect a public file early last week. At 4:30 pm they were closing up shop and I had to get out of there. I left a note on the file asking them not to put it away because I would be back later in the week. As I rushed to leave I inadvertently mixed in a couple of public files with some of my own I was carrying. Later on in the week I called DEP and asked for an interview based on what I had read in the file. I named specific documents I wanted them to review. They said they would review the file again and we agreed to talk Friday. It was only then they discovered that some of their files I asked them to comment on were missing. I was as surprised as the state was, because I was eager for DEP officials to answer questions on the same files had seen. I then searched and found them mixed in with my own stuff and immediately returned them.
There were no troopers involved that I knew of. The press office said they notified the AG because they felt the documents were sensitive and part of the federal investigation. There was an AG rep at the DEP when I returned the documents. I gave then to him. We talked for 5 minutes and that was that.
In the past 2 to 3 years I have spent hundreds of man hours at the DEP and reviewed and copied thousands of pages of documents. I have an impeccable record and a great relationship with the department's OPRA officials, many of whom I know by name. The idea that I would deliberately plan to steal a public file and then direct the agency to review documents I had allegedly stolen is absurd.
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This is a total farce.
Jeff Pillets performed a public service by exposing the fraud of EnCap!
But this is NJ and corruption rules.
Vote Column "A" - All the way!
Quick!
Shoot the guy who exposes corruption. Can't have that. Go get 'im Corzine.
Wrong.
Give Pillets credit for what he reports on, but understand that he is not above the law.
His defense consists entirely of the claim that it was an inadvertent crime.
Do we remember Sandy Berger, and the way Republicans crucified him in 2004?
I would respectfully submit that if you asked all of the OPRA custodians across state government (whom Pillets has now drawn into this fiasco), several would tell you that he must be constantly watched like a hawk, when he is reviewing files, for this very reason.
DEP's lack of file protection
DEP receives more OPRA requests than all the other departments combined. They hired staff to retrieve and photocopy the files for those doing searches. However, these staff members are not familiar with what they are copying and they usually get the files completely out of order. Then those who use the files on a regular basis, such as the case managers, have to reorder them. As for anyone being watched like a hawk, it just doesn't happen because there are not enough staff to do that. Anyone could conceivably steal valuable documents that are involved in an investigation or litigation. That is the insanity of it all. But Pillets, as a journalist who first exposed the problems with Encap, would have no motive to remove files that would be used in litigation, most likely that will further support his series exposing how taxpayer money was squandered. The idea that he would steal documents makes no sense. However, it is common knowledge at DEP that files have been destroyed and/or deemed not subject to OPRA by DEP managers trying to cover their tracks.