The Republican Party Chairman called for the immediate dismissal of Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Reuben Young and Secretary of Correction Alvin Keller today citing poor job performance.

Democratic Governor Bev Perdue is standing by her cabinet appointees and chalked up the GOP's remarks as "partisan politics at its worst. "

Republican Chairman Tom Fetzer called for Young to resign for failing to investigate claims that former Governor Mike Easley ordered the deletion of emails to prevent them from becoming public.

At the time, Young was Easley's chief legal counsel.

Fetzer also charged that Young failed to question former Easley aide Ruffin Poole about his travel.

Poole has since been indicted on 51-counts of corruption. He is accused of accepting trips from Easley supporters and profiting from investments in coastal developments he helped expedite through regulatory hurdles.

Now Young serves as the current governor's Crime Control boss.

"She can't be a reformer and she can't be all about transparency and ethics if she continues to let business go as usual," Fetzer said.

Governor Perdue said Fetzer needs more than "empty words."

"If somebody can give me something to show he did something wrong in another administration -- all my secretaries know there is zero tolerance," Perdue said.

Fetzer also wants Secretary of Correction Alvin Keller to resign citing poor performance in his hiring of probation officers. 

As of Feb. 8, 2010, the DOC reports there are 117 vacancies.

The problem is not with hiring officers, but retaining the workers, DOC spokesman Keith Acree said.

The salary for a trainee is $31,246 but applicants must have a four-year degree.

Those with a college degree as well as two years experience in social work, law enforcement or probation receive a salary of $35,337.

The governor vouched for her appointee: "Secretary Keller, in my mind, has taken an agency that was very, very troubled and turned it around. It is on the right direction," Perdue said.