SEATTLE — A federal worker from Seattle says she has spent $20,000 fighting the discipline she received for pointing out a veteran's fraudulent record.
The worker helped expose a case of fraud in which an Army veteran lied his way to a Purple Heart and hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits.
Cristina Jackson was in charge of Darryl Lee Wright's attendance record at the Economic Development Administration, a job-promoting agency.
When Wright missed work, he asked to have it converted into sick leave for emergency National Guard duty.
Jackson looked into that and eventually discovered, along with federal prosecutors, that Wright had lied about the situation that he says caused PTSD.
Wright pleaded guilty, but sued the workplace for violating his privacy.
The agency Jackson worked for then repeatedly tried to punish her for what it said were violations of the man's privacy. It docked her workplace rating and has proposed suspending her from work for a few days.
Jackson says she's spent $20,000 on legal fees to fight off the discipline.
Prosecutors say Jackson's willingness to come forward was crucial in uncovering the truth.
Cox Media Group
