'Joe the Plumber' sues 3 in database inquiry
The Toledo man claims damages from an illegal search of confidential state information during presidential campaign.
The Western Star
By William Hershey and Jessica Wehrman
March 06, 2009
WASHINGTON — "Joe the Plumber" is suing three employees of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services — including a local woman — accusing them of illegally accessing his confidential information using state databases.
Clayton native Helen Jones-Kelley, the former director of the department, is among the three ODJFS employees that "Joe," otherwise known as Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, has sued.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Thursday, March 5, charged that Jones-Kelley and employees Fred Williams and Doug Thompson improperly searched "confidential state databases" to retaliate against Wurzelbacher for criticizing then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Their actions "are sufficient to chill or silence a person of ordinary firmness from future First Amendment activities," the lawsuit said.
The three also violated Wurzelbacher's right to privacy, the lawsuit added. Wurzelbacher has "suffered substantial damages, including emotional distress, harassment, personal humiliation and embarrassment," the lawsuit said...
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