BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–According to court documents, Amy Kovach, the ex-spokesperson for the Berkeley County School District, has filed a lawsuit against her former employer as well as the Berkeley County republican party.
Kovach’s attorney, Nancy Bloodgood, filed the lawsuit with the clerk of court’s office in Berkeley County on October 15th.
During the 2012 ‘Yes 4 Schools’ campaign, the longtime spokesperson was accused of promoting the referendum to voters while working on the clock as a district employee, a violation of state ethics laws.
In late August, Kovach pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and use of government resources to influence an election. She was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.
The recently filed lawsuit alleges that she was merely following orders from her bosses during the campaign to pass the referendum. The lawsuit goes on to state that the school district failed to protect her by refusing to testify on her behalf in court when a grand jury indicted her on multiple ethics charges involving the 2012 ‘Yes 4 Schools’ campaign.
The lawsuit also takes aim at the Berkeley County Republican party; former BCGOP Chairmen Joshua Whitley and Terry Hardesty; former school board member Scott Marino, who is Whitley’s brother-in-law; and BCSD Associate Superintendent Karen Whitley, who is Whitley’s mother.
The lawsuit accuses Whitley and several others of playing “an active and inappropriate role in the State Law Enforcement Division’s investigation” of the ethics charges and “suggested stories and provided false information to the press.”
In a statement to The Post & Courier, Josh Whitley, who is now a Berkeley Co. Councilman, stated that, “Although I cannot comment substantively on the lawsuit, I do plan to fight this lawsuit and to file a number of counterclaims, including an action on behalf of the taxpayers to get back the criminal attorney fees that were paid for on behalf of Ms. Kovach since she has now been convicted of and admitted under oath to her significant crimes.”
On Wednesday, the Berkeley County School District issued the following statement:
“Berkeley County School District is saddened by Ms. Amy Kovach’s law suit alleging that the District failed to sufficiently support her in her recent prosecution by the Attorney General’s office. On the contrary, as repeatedly stated by the District, the District has sought to fully respect the rights of its employees, including Ms. Kovach, involved in the Attorney General’s office’s prosecution and investigation relating to the 2012 school improvement bond referendum. In an effort to meet its obligations to Ms. Kovach, the District has funded her legal defense with regard to the indictment under the Ethics Act brought against her, even though the District has been repeatedly criticized by many citizens for doing so.”
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” I was just following orders.” We’ve heard that one before, and it didn’t work then either. But nice try, Amy, well played. Sue everyone and let God and the courts sort it out,right?