Oregon- Two DA's resign after alleged misconduct.
BEND, Ore. — Deschutes County District Attorney Patrick Flaherty announced Monday that Chief Deputy District Attorney Traci Anderson and Deputy DA Pat Horton have resigned, effect July 5.
A top Oregon legal regulatory agency has concluded that the Deschutes County district attorney was incorrect in his interpretation that the release of personal information about his employees was illegal.
Further, the Oregon State Bar has suggested that Patrick Flaherty's decision to convene a grand jury to investigate the matter may have violated rules against conflicts of interest, The Bend Bulletin reported.
The agency is investigating the matter, according to a letter from Susan Roedl Cournoyer, the state bar's assistant disciplinary counsel, released Wednesday afternoon to the newspaper.
A key issue involves Flaherty's claim that Deschutes County Legal Counsel Mark Pilliod committed official misconduct and violated the law by releasing personal information about new hires in the district attorney's office following a request by The Bulletin for copies of their applications.
It's the latest development in an often-tumultuous first six months in office for Flaherty, who has become embroiled in issues ranging from a lawsuit by fired deputy DAs to an Oregon State Bar investigation of his response, including subpoenas and a grand jury, to a county lawyer's release of personal information on his office's new hires.
Links:
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/fbdefc7a5e144758994e4225bb28c2ac/OR--Deschutes-DA-Bar/