By PATRICK JACKSON
The News Journal
10/09/2004
The rape and abduction of a counselor at the Delaware Correctional Center near Smyrna dominated a gubernatorial debate Friday as Gov. Ruth Ann Minner defended her handling of issues involving the state's Department of Correction.
This was the first time the candidates met since the Department of Correction released a report of its internal investigation of the July 12 hostage situation.
Minner, a first-term Democrat, and her challengers Republican Bill Lee and Independent-Libertarian Frank Infante faced off during the debate broadcast on WILM radio.
Lee chided Minner for what he called a three-month delay in appointing an independent panel to investigate the incident and said he would fire Correction Department administrators if he is elected.
"They totally failed," Lee said. "There's been a disaster on our hands. We were warned ahead of time."
Infante agreed.
"Somebody's got to be held accountable," he said. "Somebody's got to swing."
Minner appointed an outside task force Thursday to investigate the rape and abduction of Cassandra Arnold, a counselor who was taken hostage by inmate Scott Miller, a serial rapist serving a 699-year term.
The Department of Correction said in its report Wednesday that lapses in security led to the abduction. Commissioner of Correction Stanley Taylor said measures have been adopted to address security concerns.
Minner said she also has asked the federal bureau of prisons to conduct a systemwide review of Delaware's prison system and promised to act on its recommendations as soon as possible.
She said the state is moving ahead with plans worked out between the administration and the correctional officers' union to improve working conditions to retain existing staff and attract new personnel.
"We have a plan for our prisons, there is no question," she said. "I would really like to know what their plans are."
Lee criticized Minner for not offering personal support to Arnold.
"This woman has been left out in the cold," Lee said. "And we're going to pay for that, just like every other lawsuit we lose in this administration." Arnold's lawyers have said they plan to sue the state.
Minner said Arnold wanted no contact with prison personnel and the administration respected her wishes.
"She did not want any contact at all," Minner said. "And her attorney said she would call us when she was ready to talk. We respected that."
Lee interrupted Minner. "She didn't refuse to talk to the governor or the corrections secretary. She was looking for that," he said.
This was the fourth debate with all three candidates and the most contentious.
In addition to prison security, they clashed over public safety issues ranging from safe schools to cops on the beat.
Infante and Lee attacked Minner, saying the state needs to do more to increase police staffing and training for all first responders.
"Security is a mess," Lee said.
Minner said the state is awaiting $8.7 million in additional federal homeland security training money.
"Our first responders are where they need to be until we get that money," she said.
She also pointed to the state's efforts to set up a 10-state regional public safety and security consortium that would assist each other with equipment and expertise.
The candidates continued their argument over the state's three-tier diploma system, as they have in previous debates. Infante and Lee want to scrap the system, while Minner wants to wait for recommendations by a task force she appointed to study the the state's accountability system.
The trio debated the issue of gambling at length for the first time.
Infante and Lee have indicated they are willing to look at expanding gambling to the Wilmington Riverfront - a move opposed by Minner.
Infante renewed his call for bringing sports betting and table games to existing casinos in Delaware.
"I don't want to see casinos all over the state - we're not trying to create Las Vegas here," he said. "With table games and sports betting ... it drives your tourist industry and will bring people from all over the country and all over the world."
Minner said the state's casinos have recovered from any financial damage caused by the state's smoking ban and are expanding. She reminded the audience that adding table games would require a constitutional amendment.
But she said adding casinos only subdivide an existing pie.
"Fire companies who had bingo lost money and many shut down. Our own state lottery lost money," she said. "There are only so many gambling dollars. I do not support expanding gambling in the state of Delaware."
Reach Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com
