BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A second top aide has resigned from the state attorney general’s office, saying his boss targeted him for being a whistleblower, The Advocate reported Tuesday.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew Derbes’ resignation letter said he could not withstand retaliation after his report of sexual harassment allegations against former criminal division director Pat Magee, the newspaper reported.
At a news conference Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Landry defended his actions in Magee’s case and made allegations that a high-ranking criminal division member, whom he would not identify, failed to report concerns “the moment he encountered them.”
He would not say whether that employee was Derbes.
“We do not believe anyone involved in this matter is considered a whistleblower,” he said, adding that supervisors are obliged to report policy violations as soon as they know about them.
Magee resigned March 11 after being accused of sexual harassment by at least two women. His resignation letter said the allegations were false and unjust.
Attorney Jill Craft told the newspaper that Derbes has filed a workplace discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - the first step needed to file lawsuits alleging retaliation and employment discrimination. Landry has been notified of it, she said.
Landry said he did not recall allegations that an Advocate reporter said were in Derbes’ resignation letter, including “preferential treatment” for a “politically connected” person who faced 20 counts of child pornography involving juveniles under age 13.
“Do you have his resignation letter? … I would like to see it if you have it,” Landry responded.
He said that the employee whom he would not identify is no longer with the department, and that his office has uncovered sexist texts from him. Landry said his office would not release any documentation because of potential litigation.
He also said he had been shocked to learn that the employee was investigated during a previous governor’s administration for creating a social media account that “impersonated a high-ranking female employee.”
Craft said that referred to a joke social media post about a decade ago about an official in former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration.
It was dealt with at the time, she said, adding, “The fact that Landry brings it up now just shows the level of desperation he’s going to sink to in order to deflect from his own responsibility.”
Derbes denies doing anything improper, Craft told WAFB-TV.
Derbes’ letter also alleged that administrators have been “illegally manipulating” an insurance fraud support unit fund for years.
He said he had been refused a promotion because of his actions related to Magee, and instead was “effectively demoted.”
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