Ethics commission chief Holly LaBerge fired

The state ethics commission on Monday voted unanimously to fire its executive director, Holly LaBerge.

The move comes less than a week after a Fulton County Superior Court judge said LaBerge had been "dishonest and non-transparent" over the course of a whistleblower lawsuit filed by her predecessor.

LaBerge was placed on leave, with pay, on Friday.

Judge Ural Glanville on Wednesday sanctioned the Attorney General’s Office and LaBerge and ordered each to pay $10,000 in fines for failing to turn over key documents in the lawsuit filed by former ethics commission director Stacey Kalberman.

Commission Chairwoman Hillary Stringfellow said Glanville’s order shows LaBerge’s conduct “fundamentally conflicts with the specific mission and purpose of this commission and therefore with her own duties and responsibilities as executive secretary.”

“Ms. LaBerge must be regarded as disqualified from continuing to serve as a representative of this commission,” Stringfellow said.

LaBerge’s private attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

There was no public discussion among commissioners, and the vote was 4-0. Commissioner Heath Garrett abstained from the discussion.