Dover Bureau reporter
10/13/2004
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee said, if elected, he would remove corrections commissioner Stanley W. Taylor Jr. because he has lost the backing of department employees.
"You know, six months ago, corrections officers weren't blaming Stan for the problems in the department, " said Lee, who is opposed by Democratic Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and Independent-Libertarian Frank Infante. The corrections officers union last month endorsed Lee.
"Now, no one is defending him," Lee said. "I think he lost sight of the fact that the first thing you do is stand up for your troops, not the governor."
Minner would not comment. Her spokesman Gregory Patterson said Minner supports Taylor. Lee's announcement that he would remove cabinet officials, including Taylor, comes as no surprise, he said.
Infante said he was not sure whether he would replace Taylor. Taylor said he had no comment on Lee's statement.
Taylor was named commissioner by former Gov. Tom Carper in 1995. He was one of a handful of appointees held over by Minner.
Minner has asked federal prison officials to review Delaware's prison system and recommend changes. Last week, she appointed a seven-member panel, headed by former Superior Court Judge Vincent A. Bifferato, to conduct an independent investigation of the hostage incident at the prison in Smyrna in which a prison counselor was raped and an inmate was shot dead.
Lee said he has known Taylor for years and respects him, but he said new leadership is needed.
Reach Patrick Jackson art 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
