Haley chief erupts at Social Services hearing: “We’ve been getting political speeches up here.”

Tempers flared at a hearing into the state Department of Social Services Friday, when a Democratic senator on a panel investigating the agency and Gov. Nikki Haley’s chief of staff Ted Pitts exchanged heated words.

Pitts was sworn in to answer questions from state Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Richland, one of the agency’s fiercest critics, about whether Haley would back the embattled child-welfare agency’s request for more caseworkers in next year’s budget.

After a line of questioning from Lourie, Pitts questioned the attention being paid to the audit released Friday, when previous audits had similar conclusions.

Pitts: "We agree with you the most important issue facing the state now is to help get caseloads down, but you know what? In 2006, when you and I were members of the General Assembly, there was an LAC audit done and you know what it said, it said we have a problem with caseloads. It said we have a problem with salary ranges.”

When Lourie interrupted him, Pitts countered quickly, "I let you finish your question."

Lourie cut in again: "I asked you a question."

“Mr. Chairman, I asked a simple question. I didn't ask for a political speech,” Lourie said, turning to Sen. Tom Young, the panel’s Republican chairman.

"We've been getting political speeches up here,” Pitts said.

“The answer is yes, the governor is going to fully fund the director's request that is before you now, and we will take into consideration any additional requests which our office has not received yet."

Haley’s office said Thursday the governor was committed to supporting Social Services’ plan for additional case workers and raises aimed at attracting and retaining caseworkers.

Lourie has been the most aggressive member of the Senate panel in interviewing Social Services’ leadership.

The Senate panel held the hearing to hear testimony from the S.C. Legislative Audit Council review, released Friday, that found the agency has excessively high caseloads, a 65 percent turnover rate among caseworkers and a program that puts children at risk by referring some parents reported for abuse to outside the agency for help.

Senators also heard from Social Services acting director Amber Gillum about a new plan, released Thursday, to hire more caseworkers more quickly.

This story was originally published October 3, 2014 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Haley chief erupts at Social Services hearing: “We’ve been getting political speeches up here.”."