Ethics Commission Lawyers Blasted for Doing Private Work on State Time
Two Georgia State Ethics Commission lawyers have been criticized in a new report for working on their private law practice on state time and for using state computers to do research for their private clients.
The report, issued by the Georgia inspector general’s office, found that commission lawyers Thomas Plank and Yasha Heidari, who had created their own firm while working full-time for the state, met with clients and attended hearings on state time, used state computers to research private cases and abused sick leave, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Thursday.
The inspector general also found that the two lawyers had represented a lobbying group, Bright Ideas Consulting, that is regulated by the commission, according to the newspaper.
The commission’s former human resources and budget director filed a whistle-blower suit against the ethics commission earlier this month. She said in her complaint that she told the then-commission director Rick Thompson that Heidari and Plank were moonlighting on state time. When Thompson left the commission and Plank subsequently replaced him as acting director, Plank fired Ward. In the suit, Ward said her firing was in retaliation for her complaint; Plank said her firing was not for that reason but otherwise declined to comment. Around the time of Ward’s firing, the inspector general began its investigation of Heidari and Plank.
Plank couldn’t be reached for comment, the newspaper said. But Heidari, who left the commission several months ago, called the report “pathetic” and said it was “50 pages of fluff.”
Heidari also suggested that the inspector general’s office, which spent a year investigating him and Plank, had uncovered little evidence of wrongdoing but had produced the lengthy report in part to justify its existence to lawmakers.
The report recommended that the commission establish clear policies on outside employment and set up clear punishments for infractions. It also suggested that the commission monitor sick leave use to look for signs of employees faking illness.
