Fayette worker wasn't fired for being Republican, Democrats say

The political affiliation of Fayette County's former election bureau director had nothing to do with her termination, according to the attorney who is representing the county and its two Democratic commissioners in a federal civil rights lawsuit.

Laurie Lint was let go for poor job performance, not because she was a registered Republican at the time of her dismissal, said attorney Marie Milie Jones in a motion for summary judgment filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh.

Lint, a 20-year employee who was director of elections for 10 years, was let go in October 2009. At the time, commissioners Vincent Vicites and Vincent Zapotosky, both Democrats, said they dismissed her for poor job performance.

In March, Lint filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was fired because she changed her political affiliation from Democrat to Republican in January 2007.

Yesterday, Jones filed a motion seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed. Jones notes that Lint has failed to prove her dismissal was based on her Republican party affiliation.

"There is absolutely no evidence that (Lint) was terminated because of her affiliation," Jones wrote in the motion. "By contrast, the record is rife with evidence that plaintiff was fired because she was deficient in her job."

Jones noted that in a deposition that was taken of Lint in October 2010, Lint acknowledged she has no direct evidence the two commissioners were aware of her party registration.

A transcript of the deposition indicates Lint testified commissioners could have looked at lists that show voters' party registrations, but she had no direct knowledge they had viewed hers. When asked to describe why she felt she had been fired for her Republican party affiliation, Lint testified commissioners treated her differently after she became a Republican.

"It's like a progressive change after I changed my party, that things were different," Lint testified, indicating the two Democratic commissioners began to rely more on other employees in their dealings with her office. "It's just progressively I was let out of the loop more or less is what they -- just felt that way."

Milie argues Lint's work performance came into question at least two years before she became a Republican. The deficiencies, according to Milie, are noted in depositions that were taken of the commissioners and several election bureau employees after Lint filed the lawsuit.

"It is clear from the record (Lint) was terminated for serious deficiencies in her job performance," Mile wrote. "During her position as director, (Lint) was severely deficient in complying with state requirements for receipt of grant monies ... failed to attend a scheduled voting machine training without explanation or notice, inadequately budgeted for significant and required purchases within her department, submitted falsified time records, repeatedly failed to conduct voter purges when directed by the commissioners, provided inaccurate information to party leadership ... in regard to the process for filling a vacancy in an elected position, and generally failed to provide leadership or adequately manage the department staff."

Milie is asking that the "frivolous lawsuit" be dismissed. Lint and her attorneys have until May 9 to respond to the motion.