Ex-state IT specialist claims he removed documents from Gov…. | www.myajc.com

A former state IT specialist who is a key player behind the ethics questions swirling around Gov. Nathan Deal’s office said in an interview that he altered and removed dozens of documents in the governor’s case file as an investigation into his potential campaign problems was pending.

John Hair’s comments raise new concerns about the independence of the ethics agency charged with holding elected officials accountable in its review of five complaints accusing Deal of misusing campaign funds in his 2010 election. The commission ultimately levied a $3,350 penalty against the governor, down from the $70,000 originally recommended.

Hair told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News that on nearly 20 different occasions last year he removed and condensed documents from the case file or superimposed new data over original files. He said he doesn’t know what he altered because he didn’t scrutinize the files, but that he believes the data included financial information.

The governor has said he received no special treatment from the commission and blasted the AJC for its coverage of the issue. Attorneys for Deal and ethics commission Executive Director Holly LaBerge both strongly disputed Hair’s claims, and Deal’s lawyer called Hair a “disgruntled former employee.”

The AJC previously reported that Hair said in sworn testimony that he was fired when he refused a request from LaBerge to remove another document earlier this year. But Hair’s interview was the first time he revealed he previously removed and altered other data prior to that refusal.

He said in the interview that he was acting on orders from LaBerge and her top aide, Lisa Dentler, when he manipulated the files. Both declined to comment on Tuesday.

“They were asking me to manipulate records, plain and simple. Deleting information. I was asked to go onto the network and pull a certain document,” Hair said. “They had me remove documents under the case file under the understanding that I would receive documents to replace it. And I never did.”

Deal’s attorney, Randy Evans, said he’s not aware of any documents being removed from the file and that, aside from confidential information such as Social Security numbers or bank account information, there’s nothing in the file that needs to be hidden. He said the ethics commissioners who weighed Deal’s case saw all the documents with no redactions.

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