Ohio Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in Trouble for Attack on "Joe the Plumber"

Vanessa Niekamp's testimony to state legislators can be found here:

The state employee directed to run a records check on Joe the Plumber told Ohio lawmakers one manager ordered the check and another dictated an e-mail sent from her address covering up the act.

The records check came in the final stretch of this fall's presidential election, after Republican nominee John McCain made a Toledo plumber named Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher a theme in his final debate with Democrat Barack Obama.

Vanessa Niekamp, a 15-year state employee who now works for the state Department of Job and Family Services, made her statements Thursday as legislators considered a bill that would require the firing of any state employee who improperly accesses confidential personal information.

Niekamp said Doug Thompson, the agency's deputy director, ordered her to write a cover-up e-mail to the department's information security officer. Thompson entered her office, closed the door and dictated the e-mail word for word, she said.

"He appeared very upset, his neck was bright red, and he was shaking," Niekamp told the House State Government and Election Committee on Thursday.

Niekamp said she thinks Wurzelbacher is owed a public apology. . . . .