Craddick's ghost worker ploy lives on

The chairman of the Texas House committee whose employment practices helped trigger an ongoing investigation into so-called ghost employees — full-time, low-pay employees who are seldom seen at work — appointed a special subcommittee Monday to investigate the issue.

The surprise move was quickly criticized as overstepping the authority of the committee and having the potential to compromise the criminal investigation by the Travis County district attorney's office. Under state law, people who testify or provide evidence for a legislative inquiry can receive immunity from prosecution for misdeeds. So, if the committee investigates itself, its members could derail any case by prosecutors.

Vince at Capital Annex explains how Craddick is using the ghost worker ploy to attack his enemies in the Texas House.

“They are destroying the House,” said Glenn Smith of the Texas Progressive Council, which supports House Democrats and the Republicans who are against Mr. Craddick. “If members can’t count on those support services to be neutral, they can’t get their jobs done. You may as well not have representatives elected from throughout Texas. You may as well have one speaker elected as governor and do away with the legislative branch.”

Bottom line: the ghost workers are getting health insurance. Even well off people are lacking health insurance from a reasonable source. Universal heathcare anyone?