Hillsborough County Attorney Dennis Hogan declines to explain the current work status of one of his assistant prosecutors, claiming it is a “personnel'' matter.

Indeed it is. But the personnel in question here may be County Atty. Hogan, depending on how he handles the matter of his assistant's use of his public office and equipment to oversee a fantasy football league.

It is Hogan who serves the people of the county by means of his election to public office. It is those voters who will ultimately decide whether his handling of that office is worthy of rehiring him.

Assistant attorney Ross McLeod now has his own attorney, who acknowledges his client's football league involvement. (Since there is an email paper trail with McLeod's name and office address on it, that's probably wise.) But the attorney for the attorney says if this is grounds for dismissal, he would suggest that “half of America is in danger of losing jobs.''

No doubt. But “half of America'' isn't working for the public as a prosecutor.

County Atty. Hogan says the Attorney General's Office is investigating the matter. That's fine. But it will remain Hogan's decision and responsibility as to whether McLeod keeps his job; and hiding behind a “personnel matter'' is not going to cut it when it is the public whom these people are serving.

The public has a right to know how the matter is resolved.