A senior California Lottery executive has been dismissed from his position six months after anonymous state employees sent a letter to the Governor's Office complaining about rowdy behavior among a group of the lottery's top brass.
Deputy Director of Sales James David Cole's dismissal comes amid ongoing investigations into hiring practices and alleged misconduct by senior lottery executives during a 2016 sales conference.
Cole was notified Feb. 1 that his employment would be officially terminated March 1, according to a termination letter obtained through a public records request. He was placed on paid administrative leave for the month of February, according to the letter.
The letter didn't give a reason for the termination, and it is unknown whether his departure was related to the sales conference or other issues raised by the letter. California Lottery spokesman Russ Lopez declined to discuss a personnel matter. Cole, who was promoted to deputy director in 2014, did not respond to a voicemail or emails seeking comment.
"This is a refreshing change," said Paulina Vasquez, a district sales representative and union steward. "I'm glad to see people are being held accountable for their actions and I'm looking forward to seeing even more changes in the future."
Vasquez was among five employees who called for top officials' resignations at a state Lottery Commission meeting in September.
Last summer, an anonymous lottery employee sent a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown that included photos that allegedly showed senior lottery administration officials carrying on at Southern California piano bar, including one image of an official putting his head up a woman's shirt. The letter, written on official lottery stationary, also described disparaging treatment of employees.
Sharon Neal, a district sales representative and union steward, said Cole's leadership style was "geared more toward management, not rank and file. He gave management a very wide range of latitude to wield their power in ways that in my 33 years there I had never seen a management team do before."
Brown's office asked the state Department of Justice to investigate, and lottery employees say agents are still conducting interviews.
At the same time, the State Controller's Office is reviewing the last four years of the lottery's expenditures following an internal audit of the lottery's 2017 training events, conferences and seminars that found several instances of it failing to properly document and review expenses.
The lottery recently has recorded soaring revenue gains, with total sales for the last fiscal year totaling nearly $7 billion, up from $5.5 billion in 2015.
To play you pay; California did the right thing. Sure would like to know how much he got paid. Hey at least now he can legally play the CA lottery...LOL
LOL @ CD
The Court of Public Opinion Is About Mob Justice and Reputation Assassination!
lol..but none of what you stated have anything to do with playing the lottery per se CD. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Cole was the guy at the piano bar with he's head under that women's shirt. Probably telling the onlookers" This is how you make a sale, you have to be forceful,plant your flag, get in there."
Our new Governor is running a tight ship. Good for him.
Now is the time to crack down on Lottery retailers who win multiple times.
.
Is there a worse feeling than losing what you once had?
perhaps not when it comes to an ex spouse???
Motor boarding --- a victimless crime.
Its #metoo land over hear in California for a reason. James Cole should go try to get a job with Cristina Garcia.
Great news and the outcome predicted by most lp members, and not counting the 1 or 2 members who placed the blame on the woman. It is funny how so many state lotteries are supposedly trying to prevent fraud by pushing 100% non anonymity but their own officials engage in public unprofessional behavior. They need to clean their own house!
Is complaining about rowdy behavior like Beulah Balbricker saying she would have a teacher fired for "moral turpitude"
l wonder if Cole was the sacrificial lamb here? Taking a “ hit for the team” since those filing a report, were displeased with all the action going on at the piano bar. Next time they have a company party, they had better vet the people willing to go: You know kinda like seating a jury: Are you aware of the piano bar scene years ago? Yes l am. Would you be comfortable being in that environment, one way or another? No, l would not! Russ, we will dismiss this worker from the company party. Next!
Sometimes, you have to cull the herd!👌
The letter didn't give a reason for the termination
But people are still saying "I told you so".
With all the advice you give on collecting winnings, I thought you won multiple times. The KY Lottery has a new game and get a winning ticket every drawing; do you think the lottery police will come after me too?
Public officials are held to much higher standards than the private factory worker at an after hours party. It used to be rather common to read about boondoggle "official" trips being held in Hawaii, etc. and matters like that are given a higher level of scrutiny by both the government and the public. When you are a public official, you are considered on duty 24 hours a day. The reason for his termination is obvious and he was in management as well. Such conduct erodes public trust in lottery officials. I thought everyone knew this!
Already told KY lottery I don' t like that new lottery. Sure pay FIVE dollars for a minimum of $2. Top prize only $50K; also suggested it roll over. Think it is called Quick Bucks. Just to be fair to the KLC you do not have to bet $5, there are lower bets too.
For those who are new here, Cole’s dismissal from my POV, is found in the very first paragraph of this article. Click on that link, and you arrive at the bar scene. As it turns out, people didn’t like what they saw & decided to do something about it.So they threw in this pic along with their grievances about working conditions etc etc. it all boils down to the piano bar scene, others may disagree but it is what it is. Those workers who decided to attend had every opportunity to walk away from the bar, but instead decided to make a case based on conduct. Heaven forbid they were not viewing a scene with Samuel L Jackson on a foul mouth spree. It’s jealousy l tell you.
People who turn to look the other way have been responsible for many atrocities in the world. Always live a life of integrity and strive for a fair opportunity for all. I have always believed that God is not going to care so much as to whether you attended church 80% of the time, vs 100%....but whether you looked the other way when someone needed help, or you could have spoken up and stopped a bad situation. Women and people of color are not required to walk away any more. It is not 1800. Appalling that someone would say that in 2019. Obviously some people will never understand this until they are made to understand this fact, as with the lottery official.
The original article, not this one said that the whistleblowers were concerned about being spoken down to, passed over for promotions, bad language being spoken around them. That was what “ they said” yet what we got was pictures of a bar scene. I go with that. Unless they had taped information, conversations, showing what was said to them & where, what we have is hearsay. My Grandmother was born in Germany, lived through the Nazi regime, HELPED Jews wherever she could, she did not turn away. What we have here once again is hearsay, with only pictures of a guy with his head up a female’s shirt. If all the other things were so much worse, why are we not getting a sliver of information on it- all we hear is Cole was dismissed, yeah, tied to the bar scene, since anyone whistle blower said “ this goes on all on the time” or something to that effect. Once again- partying.
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", but apparently that doesn't apply to the county dog warden because after all, some say they are "public officials". But my dog warden was appointed not elected so unless I want to clean up dog p--p, I'll mind my own business if I see him coming out of the Boda Bing.
The thing is, under Cole, sales were $1.5 billion higher than the year before and I doubt Beulah Balbricker can top that.
Just like any other state lottery, KY use ticket sales to determine if players like a game. The Quick Bucks payoffs secondary prizes are tiny, but for $3, players can get five chances to win $50,000. The overall odds of winning something is less than any other KY game.
Bingo- These lottery officials were appointed, and l think that is where the confusion comes from. The other thing the CA lottery likes to remind the playing public" We don't use or get funds" from the State. They are a separate entity, yet some of the complaints from folks who brought this issue to light are "claiming " being overlooked for promotions, well how many slots are open and why do so many folks " think" they qualify? Just because you may be able to multitask, does not make one management material by any stretch. As for quotes about " women & ladies looking the other way" statement hey, l married one. Have two sisters as well, get along just great with all three, so you barking up the wrong tree here by questioning my insight about females .... Just saying.
This article says nothing about lottery retailers who win multiple times, unless a page was not downloaded to my phone.. let me check music.
Funny how some people don't know the difference between using the word female vs women. Clearly someone who has not been in the workplace in decades. And thank you California lottery for making the right decision.
How about it if just addressed as 'they' or those guys and be gender neutral about it?
No disrespect: However for someone who claims to love God but at the same time thinks ill of people who are unemployed, is mind boggling to say the least. Has it ever occurred to you that there are some people who are incapable of working, perhaps through sustaining an injury or illness? The cavalier approach to” look at me” & then look at you is repulsive. I happen to be gainfully employed, despite your assertions. After all as a line in a movie once said “ lies do not become us.”
You are absolutely correct Artist. I couldnt believe the comments I was reading that others thought his behavior was ok. It was not ok, common sense prevailed and he was fired, let this be a wakeup call to others.
We all have opinions,nothing more, nothing less. This article does not say " why" Cole was terminated, simple hiring practices & alleged rules out there. What you failed to notice is that Cole was up against Union reps, who probably forced he's hand one way or another. What is Absolutely correct, is that under Cole's management ,the CA lottery made Billions of dollars more. That's leadership for you, despite his personal shortcomings.