During his campaign, Gov. Tom Wolf pledged to change the culture in Harrisburg and make it more transparent and ethical. Last week he tasked Grayling Williams, a veteran narcotics investigator, with helping carry that pledge through as state Inspector General.
“As public servants, it is our duty to protect the interests of the people we serve,” Wolf said in a statement Jan. 16. “Grayling Williams will be tasked with ensuring that the executive branch maintains the highest level of professional conduct and integrity and holding transgressors accountable.”
Williams, who most recently served as Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s chief inspector for professional responsibility. Prior to that Williams served just over a year as Baltimore Police Department’s chief of internal affairs.
Between 2009 and 2012, he served director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement. Williams, a veteran law enforcement professional, had been named to the post by President Obama following a 23-year career with the Drug Enforcement Agency.
With Williams’ nomination, he becomes the second African-American member of Wolf’s cabinet. The other is John Wetzel, who Wolf is keeping on as Secretary of Corrections. Wolf also named Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Area Agency on Aging Director Teresa Osborne as secretary of aging.
The following day, Wolf rounded out his cabinet by naming Lancaster Schools Superintendent Pedro Rivera as Secretary of Education, and Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center physician Dr. Rachel Levine as Physician General. Levine, who changed sex from male to female five years ago, will be one of the highest-ranking transgendered women in the country.
Wolf’s other cabinet choices were:
•Transportation Secretary—Montgomery County Commissioner Leslie Richards;
•Agriculture—Russell Redding, who held the post under Gov. Ed Rendell;
•Banking and Security—Robin Weissmann, former treasurer under Rendell;
•Conservation and Natural Resources—PennFuture President and CEO Cindy Dunn;
•Environmental Protection—Hazelton Mayor John Quigley;
•Administration—Sharron Minnich, career stat employee in revenue, budget and general services departments;
•Budget—Randy Albright, executive director, Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee;
•Drug & Alcohol—National Alliance on Model State Drug Laws Chair Garry Tennis;
•General Counsel—Former Philadelphia Assistant DA Denise Smyler;
•General Services—Curt Topper, former secretary of procurement under Rendell;
•Health—Former Moses Taylor Hospital Director Karen Murphy;
•Human Services—Maryland Human Resources Secretary Ted Dallas;
•Insurance—Teresa Miller, former Oregon Insurance Division administrator;
•Labor & Industry—Former sate Rep. Kathy Manderino;
•Military & Veterans Affairs—PA National Guard Gen. James R. Joseph;
•Emergency Management—Richard Flinn, current agency director of operations;
•Secretary of State—Pedro Cortes, who held the same position under Rendell, and
•State Police—Col. Marcus Brown, former Maryland State Police superintendent.
All nominations are subject to a senate confirmation vote by simple majority.
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
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