Story Published:
May 22, 2009 at 5:49 PM CDT
Story Updated:
May 22, 2009 at 5:49 PM CDT
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state agreed to pay $500,000 to a former gubernatorial aide. The payment will settle claims that former governor's office lawyer Scott Eckersley was wrongfully terminated and defamed by Gov. Matt Blunt and his administration after questioning the office's e-mail deletion practices.
Attorney General Chris Koster announced the settlement on Friday. It includes no admission of wrongdoing by the former Republican governor or his staff, nor any exoneration.
Eckersley sued Blunt and four administration officials in January 2008. He alleged they retaliated against him after he raised concerns that the office may have violated public records laws in its handling of e-mail messages. Blunt has maintained that Eckersley was fired in September 2007 for justifiable reasons.
