The state Department of Human Services is appealing a judge’s order to release documents from Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s DHS personnel file.
On Friday, the department filed a notice that it was appealing Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox’s ruling to release eight pages from Rutledge’s file. The pages, which include a written warning for not returning a call and a statement of complaint, were released yesterday.
Rutledge was employed at the state DHS from 2006 to 2007 as an attorney. She left the agency in December 2007 to work on former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign. Her file was subsequently amended to reflect that she had been terminated for “gross misconduct.”
Reed Brewer, Arkansas Democratic Party communications director, filed a lawsuit this month to have the eight pages released. He had filed a FOIA request with DHS in July.
Fox ruled on Monday, Aug. 20 that DHS must release the documents in response to Brewer’s lawsuit.
Read more about this ongoing case at Arkansas Money & Politics.