Attorneys for Stacey Kalberman said Friday that they intend to seek sanctions against Attorney General Sam Olens’ office and the state ethics commission over the handling of a controversial memo written by Kalberman’s successor.
Kalberman attorney Kim Worth wrote to Olens Friday that the decision by his office to withhold the memo “reveal a concerted effort to conceal information relevant to my client’s claims.”
Kalberman sued the state in 2012, saying she was forced from her job for investigating Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2010 campaign. A Fulton County jury in April agreed and awarded her $700,000 in damages, plus another $450,000 in attorneys fees. Three other former commission employees also sued or intended to sue over related issues, but the state settled those cases for another $1.8 million without going to court.
Earlier this month The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that current ethics commission director Holly LaBerge penned a July 2012 memo in which she details what she said were calls and texts from top Deal aides. LaBerge said she felt pressured by Deal chief of staff Chris Riley and executive counsel Ryan Teague to settle the complaints against the governor.
Less than a week later, the commission dismissed the major charges against Deal, who agreed to pay $3,350 in fees for technical violations to his campaign disclosures.
LaBerge gave the memo to Olens’ office as part of the discovery process in Kalberman’s lawsuit, but Olens’ staff never gave it to Worth or attorneys for the other former commission employees. Olens last week said his office determined the memo was not part of what the plaintiffs’ requested.
Worth said she will file a motion for sanctions against Olens’ office and the commission in Fulton County Superior Court. Jeff Milsteen, chief deputy attorney general, said in a letter to Worth that Olens’ staff “acted completely within the bounds of their ethical obligations.”
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