David Singer, the former outreach manager for state Treasurer Dennis Milligan, filed a defamation lawsuit Thursday against Milligan's Chief of Staff Jim Harris.
The lawsuit said Singer's wife died June 30 after a long battle with breast cancer. Singer began grieving, and "during this process, unbeknownst to [Singer], Harris began speaking about [Singer's] wife in a disgusting manner."
Harris also "published to people and the press" this month that Singer "had mental problems" and accused Singer of "inappropriate activity with females" and "acting in a bizarre fashion," Singer's two-page lawsuit said.
But the lawsuit said that "all of this was untrue and Harris knew it was untrue."
Singer's lawsuit said Harris "is the one who treats females inappropriately.
"He made these accusations against [Singer] in order to deflect attention from his own inappropriate behavior," said the lawsuit, filed by attorney Luther O'Neal Sutter of Sutter & Gillham P.L.L.C. of Benton against Harris as an individual.
As an example, the lawsuit said Harris accused Singer of using the death of Singer's wife to make "sexual advances toward other women," and that "was untrue."
"All of these facts were false and caused [Singer] to lose reputation and his job," the lawsuit said.
In his lawsuit, Singer is seeking "appropriate compensatory and punitive damages," a trial by jury, attorney's fees, reinstatement or pay in lieu of compensation and all other proper relief.
In response, Milligan's office said Thursday in a written statement that the "allegations made by Mr. Singer are untrue.
"The actions taken by Jim Harris were done so in his official capacity as chief of staff," Milligan's office said. "This matter has been referred to the attorney general's office."
Last month, Singer said he didn't know why he was dismissed April 27 from his job in Milligan's office and that Harris didn't explain why he was fired.
Singer of White Hall had held the $65,000-a-year job since Jan. 14, the day after Milligan took office, Milligan spokesman Grant Wallace said last month.
Last month, Wallace said "employees of the treasurer's office are at will, he was told this and told his services were no longer needed."
Singer worked for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's circulation department from July-January after working for Stephens Media and before working for Milligan's office.
Sutter said Thursday that Singer is unemployed.
In July, Singer filed an ethics complaint against Milligan's Democratic opponent for treasurer, Karen Garcia of Hot Springs.
In September, Garcia agreed to be issued a public letter of caution by the state Ethics Commission in a settlement of Singer's complaint. She agreed that she violated state law by omitting the address of a contributor on her March campaign-finance report and by listing an incorrect amount on her June campaign-finance report as the cumulative total received during the entire election cycle.
Since taking office, Milligan has faced allegations of his own.
On March 13, Milligan signed an agreement with Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to pay a $1,000 civil penalty for violating state law by hiring his first cousin for a treasurer's office job.
He paid the $1,000 fine upon signing the three-page agreement and voluntarily reimbursed the state for Sam Swayze's gross salary of $6,941.62 for the period that his cousin worked for Milligan's office. Swayze's salary had been $63,000 per year.
Singer's departure from the treasurer's office in April came while another treasurer's office employee, Deputy Chief of Staff Jason Brady, was on paid leave for a few days.
Milligan subsequently said he and Brady would make a contribution to Brady's former employer -- the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network -- to compensate for any costs incurred from Brady working as Milligan's campaign manager during the 2014 election cycle while at the network offices.
Wallace said Thursday that "I understand donations have been made. Since these were private donations, neither are disclosing the amounts given."
But Ray Carson, associate director of media advocacy for the American Cancer Society's southern region in Tampa, Fla., said Thursday that "we have not received a donation from Mr. Milligan or from Mr. Brady.
"We have not completed our internal review yet. We will make a decision about next steps once we have a clear picture of all the facts," he said.
Brady worked for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network for seven years, and Wallace worked for it for six years, Carson said.
Both departed to take jobs at the treasurer's office.
The nonprofit charity doesn't endorse political candidates, and Brady's actions violated the group's internal policies, Carson said.
The Arkansas News Bureau reported in April that emails Brady sent in 2013 and 2014 indicate that he conducted business for Milligan's campaign using the organization's email account during regular business hours on numerous occasions.
The emails also show that Brady made plans for a conference call using the organization's phone system and told fellow campaign workers in an email seeking reimbursement for an expense that "for job security, my name can NOT be listed anywhere on a campaign contribution report," according to the Arkansas News Bureau.
Metro on 05/29/2015