More details made available about Mayor Charlie Pierce’s resignation

Extra particulars about Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) Mayor Charlie Pierce’s abrupt resignation have been supplied by KPB Lawyer Sean Kelley. In an electronic mail despatched as we speak, Kelley supplied a contract with the regulation agency Ashburn & Mason and the KPB for a confidential HR investigation.

On Friday, we revealed a narrative about how Pierce’s resignation stemmed from an investigation about his remedy of a Borough worker. Kelley’s workplace wouldn’t present a remark for the story, as an alternative sending over a ready assertion. Pierce, who’s a Republican candiate for governor, or his marketing campaign supervisor didn’t reply to calls and texts requesting remark for the story.

Peter Zuyus, who has been the spokesperson and a guide for the Pierce/Grunwald marketing campaign, introduced as we speak that he’s leaving the marketing campaign efficient September 1.

Within the electronic mail, Kelley wrote that he doesn’t “intend to have interaction in additional forwards and backwards on this, and won’t waive attorney-client privilege.” He additionally wrote that nothing relating to the outcomes of the investigation may be launched “absent a courtroom order.”

Kelley went on to say that Pierce voluntarily resigned and there’s “no settlement settlement that required or referred to as for Mayor Pierce to resign” and “there aren’t any signed agreements.” He then added, “I can’t touch upon threatened or pending litigation, together with the existence or non-existence of threatened litigation, besides to say that the KPB has not been served with a publicly filed quasi-judicial administrative or judicial grievance associated to any of the allegations raised in Alaska Landmine story (or some other related information tales on this).

Right here is the complete textual content of the e-mail:

The under has been supplied to different media members and seeing your request it appeared applicable to offer you this complete assertion as properly –

To handle your query under, please know that I don’t intend to have interaction in additional forwards and backwards on this, and won’t waive attorney-client privilege. Nevertheless it does seem that some clarification is critical. In my position as Borough Lawyer this constitutes the extent of knowledge I can present presently:

I can’t touch upon confidential inner investigations, besides to say that there’s not an ongoing investigation. Within the curiosity of transparency, nonetheless, on July 14, 2022, the borough did interact the regulation agency of Ashburn & Mason to conduct a confidential, inner investigation. That investigation was accomplished in July. Any inner paperwork or memorandum ready for the aim of or relating to the investigation are coated by attorney-client privilege, or legal professional work product doctrine, or constitutional particular person privateness protections, and can’t be launched absent courtroom order. Accordingly, and to guard all borough staff’ privateness rights and participation in inner investigations, I can’t, presently, verify or present any particular person names in regards to the investigation. It will be inappropriate on my half to deduce in any other case.

Mayor Pierce voluntarily resigned. There isn’t any settlement settlement that required or referred to as for Mayor Pierce to resign. There isn’t any relevant settlement settlement. There was no financial settlement. There aren’t any signed agreements.

I can’t touch upon threatened or pending litigation, together with the existence or non-existence of threatened litigation, besides to say that the KPB has not been served with a publicly filed quasi-judicial administrative or judicial grievance associated to any of the allegations raised in Alaska Landmine story (or some other related information tales on this).

Usually, we do ask that you just submit a public file request for any contracts or public paperwork, however to avoid wasting problem I’m attaching the KPB’s contract with Ashburn & Mason.

As acknowledged on Friday, the KPB Authorized Division will launch a memorandum subsequent week relating to succession. The KPB Authorized Division is not going to remark additional on any hypothesis surrounding Mr. Pierce’s resignation.

Thanks,

Sean

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