The state will pay $250,000 to settle claims that Maine Center for Disease Control officials harassed and discriminated against a CDC division director who refused to shred public documents. The settlement was filed Tuesday and released by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, in response to a Freedom of […]
sharon leahy-lind
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Settlement talk planned in CDC whistle-blower lawsuit
The two sides in a federal whistle-blower lawsuit against the Maine Center for Disease Control will talk settlement next week. Such settlement conferences are routine in civil lawsuits. The two sides are expected to tell a judge what they want, or would be willing to give, in order to avoid a trial. Their proposals, filed […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Committee to submit legislation in wake of CDC document-shredding probe
AUGUSTA — Nearly a year after a state investigation found Maine Center for Disease Control supervisors ordered or ignored the destruction of public documents, a legislative committee will submit legislation to address ethics violations among state employees. The Government Oversight Committee voted unanimously Thursday to forward proposed legislation to the Office of the Revisor of […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State
When health insurance goes wrong . . . and what you can do about it
But “multi-state” has nothing to do with coverage. It’s a federal designation for plans approved to be sold in several states. “To say it could confuse consumers, I think, is an understatement,” Cioppa said. “Because the ‘multi-state’ plan we have in Maine is Anthem’s narrow-network plan and it does not provide coverage out of state.” […]
Posted inLocal & State
CDC whistle-blower lawsuit adds defendants and plaintiff
A second employee is suing the Maine Center for Disease Control. A federal court judge ruled Friday that office manager Katie Woodbury can join the whistle-blower lawsuit filed by the former Maine CDC division director who first raised questions about document shredding within the department. The judge also allowed two more CDC officials — Deputy […]
Posted inLocal & State
Judge issues confidentiality order in DHHS shredding case
PORTLAND — A federal judge has ordered that certain documents produced by all parties in a whistle-blower lawsuit filed against the Department of Human Services by a former division director at the Maine Center for Disease Control may be designated as confidential in order to keep them private. The order is standard in federal cases […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State
Former CDC official must give up medical info in whistle-blower suit
AUGUSTA — A former Maine Center for Disease Control division director who has filed a federal whistle-blower lawsuit against the Maine Department of Health and Human Services must hand over more than three years worth of her diaries, medical records and mental health records, as well as the names of any doctor or mental health […]
Posted inLocal & State
Whistle-blower blasts corrupt state workers, gets award
AUGUSTA — In accepting an award Wednesday, a former state worker who claims she was assaulted and harassed for refusing to destroy controversial documents assailed bureaucrats who she said were corrupted by power and authority. “There is more to my story than document-shredding,” said Sharon Leahy-Lind, former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
CDC whisleblower to get award for refusing to shred state documents
A former state worker who claimed she was harassed and assaulted after refusing to shred sensitive documents was named the 2014 recipient of the Sunshine Award. Sharon Leahy-Lind is expected to be recognized at an awards ceremony by the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition at the visitor center at the State House on Wednesday at […]
Posted inLocal & State
Lawmakers vote to subpoena Maine CDC officials involved in document-shredding probe
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers on the Government Oversight Committee voted Friday to subpoena officials at the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention to appear before the committee. The committee had invited five CDC officials to provide information Friday about the destruction of public records, including Director Sheila Pinette, Deputy Director Christine Zukas, Office of Minority […]