The deputy director of the Oklahoma Merit Protection Commission has been fired for alleged "misconduct, inefficiency, conduct unbecoming a state employee and insubordination.”
Austin Gilley said he received his discharge notice Tuesday and plans to appeal.
Susan Bussey, executive director of the Merit Protection Commission, cited reasons for Gilley's firing in her three-page dismissal letter. A copy was obtained by The Oklahoman through the Open Records Act.
The claims against him
•Gilley responded to an e-mail question from a Grand River Dam Authority employee by sending an inappropriate e-mail response. Bussey described the response as "a lengthy diatribe filled with rude, unprofessional and insulting remarks about the person asking the question and other employees of the GRDA.”
•After being placed on probation, Gilley took home passwords to the agency's computer network and a computer backup tape. Gilley refused to reveal the passwords promptly, despite requests.
A disagreement over how the passwords were to be returned led to Gilley being arrested June 10 at the state Attorney General's office for refusing to leave the office when requested to do so.
Gilley claims his firing is political retaliation for complaining about alleged corruption at the Grand River Dam Authority. He says he discovered the alleged corruption during a brief one-week stint as human resources director at GRDA.
Gilley has created a Web site, www.austingilley.com, where he presents his views of events.
