A Fulton County judge on Monday will hold the first hearing on former state ethics commission director Stacey Kalberman’s request that he sanction the Attorney General’s Office, the commission and its current director for withholding evidence in her whisteblower lawsuit.
Kalberman contends that someone — although it's unclear who — purposely kept evidence from her attorneys that showed top aides to Gov. Nathan Deal called and texted current commission director Holly LaBerge in the week before the commission was to consider complaints against Deal's 2010 campaign. The commission, formally known as the Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, cleared Deal of major violations.
Kalberman contended — and a jury agreed — that she was forced from office for investigating the governor’s campaign.
Judge Ural Glanville will convene the hearing at 9 a.m. Monday at the Fulton County Courthouse. It’s unclear what will happen Monday as none of those accused of withholding evidence have filed briefs responding to Kalberman’s motion.
A Fulton County jury in April awarded Kalberman $700,000 in damages and another $450,000 in attorneys fees after a week-long trial. The verdict led the state to settle three other related whistleblower claims for another $1.8 million, all of which was paid with taxpayer dollars.
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