State pays $750,000 to whistleblower
A lawyer who worked for the state Department of Public Health settled with the state for $750,000 after she was fired in a whistleblower case.
The background: Last summer, a lawyer for the state Department of Public Health was fired shortly after she turned over public records that resulted in an AJC story that embarrassed Gov. Brian Kemp.
The settlement: The attorney, Jennifer Dalton, settled with the state for $750,000.
What happens next: Dalton described pressure within DPH and the governor’s office over the records request as well as over a no-bid contract that went to the client of a lobbyist with ties to Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey.
About the Author
Justin Beckett is the Team Leader and Senior Designer at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has worked in journalism for 18 years, including stints as a designer and editor at The Daily Press in Victorville, Calif. and Project Team Leader at the Dayton Daily News in Ohio. Most recently he served as an Editions Coach at The AJC.
