Watchdog group Common Cause Georgia is calling for the resignation or termination of Holly LaBerge, the executive secretary of the state ethics commission.

William Perry with Common Cause says four whistleblower lawsuits are costing taxpayers $3 million. He says LaBerge was the one who decided to terminate two of the whistleblowers, and the leadership needs to be held accountable for retaliating against former ethics commission employees.

“And these things, half of them happened under her watch. And a Fulton County jury believes that two others were removed in order to bring her in. So we think it’s just time to make a change.”

Perry says he’s hopeful the ethics commission will ask for LaBerge to step down.

“The only hope we have about these particular investigations and this commission is for the FBI to step in. They have subpoenaed documents. We’re hopeful that something will happen to that so that the innocent can be protected and the guilty can be punished.”

The ethics commission has agreed to pay $3 million to four former commission employees who say they were retaliated against.

Governor Deal says he had no role in any retaliation.

Tags: ethics