An undercover video posted online by conservative activist James O'Keefe on his Project Veritas website has the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ director calling for employee retraining and an investigation at the Marion County JFS.
The video suggests workers inappropriately advised men posing as Russian drug dealers about Medicaid benefits. The video, that has been described as heavely edited, appears to show two men explaining they are illegal immigrants, drug dealers, and they offered their drug clients sex with their underage sister.
A worker in Franklin County has been placed on paid administrative leave. Officials in Madison and Marion Counties say they are investigating.
Roxane Somerlot, Director of Marion County Job and Family Services, issued the following media release.
“It has come to our attention that a video clip was posted during the past 24 hours which depicts undercover reporters making inquiries related to acquiring Medicaid benefits at several county job and family services agencies including the office in Marion County.
While we are disturbed by the content of the video and the depicted behavior of agency staff, a rush to judgment would be premature at this time. We are in the process of conducting an internal investigation as to the full set of facts surrounding this event. We will also be coordinating our investigation with appropriate local and state officials. Once we have gained the opportunity to thoroughly and objectively gather the facts, we will determine an appropriate course of action.
Our initial review indicates that no application for benefits was made and thus no identifying information was secured despite the efforts of agency staff in Marion County. No benefits were obtained in the course of this undercover effort. Further, the entire video, as edited, depicts only a brief segment with a Marion County employee.”
You can view the video by clicking here.
