Michelle Murray, Chief Counsel of Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG), has filed suit on her own behalf pro se (meaning she is representing herself) in federal court in Pennsylvania against Debbie Shaw (Supervisory Attorney at the Office of the Counsel for Investigations and Enforcement -- or OCIE -- at OIG), Joscelyn Funnie (Senior Executive at OCIE), Lisa Rein (a reporter at the Washington Post), WP Company (which owns the Washington Post -- identified in the complaint as "left-centered"), Faith Williams (Director of the Effective and Accountable Government Program at the Project on Government Oversight) and the Project on Government Oversight. The complaint alleges defamation, tortious interference, and false light invasion of privacy. My name is mentioned but not as a defendant.
There's probably a better way I don't know about but if you want to download this complaint you'll have to wait until I approve your request. I'll approve every request but I can't do it instantly.
I'll say that as a general matter this sort of suit is difficult to win. I'd also say that if you're going to bring this sort of action your hands better be squeaky clean.
Query: Do Debbie Shaw and Joscelyn Funnie qualify for government legal representation? I'd think so but I don't know the rules on this sort of thing.
19 comments:
The case is filed in the M.D. Pa. Try https://ecf.pamd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Sounds like some Devin Nunes type bulls***. Also, anyone have any doubt Ms. Murray will be handling her own legal representation while on-the-clock (and the taxpayers’ dime)? Suing a bunch of federal agents along with a journalist and a NGO is more than one attorney can juggle in their spare time while employed full-time (or even part-time).
Even if it is a situation where the govt employee facing suit in their private capacity could be repped by DOJ, it's totally DOJ's choice and, if they do swoop in, the employee has about zero control over the way they handle the case. Tough situation, hope they have professional liability insurance!
And since this isn't EEO I don't think she will be able to get that reasonable amount of duty time to handle it.
lawyers will file anything. Dont believe me? You kind of missed everything that happened since 11/2019
She's suing for $11 million dollars?! According to federalpay.org, she made $186,576 in 2022. So, she's asking for about 60 years-worth of that level of salary. Wow. I am also curious how she--as a government employee--has suffered loss and injury to her business. She is still employed. What loss has there been? Is she doing outside business? If so, I hope she has disclosed it. If not, having a "business partner [refuse] to participate in an educational forum citing the WaPo article as one of the bases" doesn't really matter. If it was an educational forum put on through SSA OIG, she still got paid regardless of who participated. Sounds like a bunch of hurt feelings and not wanting to take any responsibility for her own actions in all of this.
This has gotten out of hand. The White House has long since needed to fire the IG for cause. These people are causing institutional damage to the agency.
Plus one BILLION in punitives!
After all the plea agreements, there should be plenty of available folks for taking in another pointless lawsuit.
Am I ready this correctly?
" Compensatory damages in the amount of $10 million..."
"Punitive damages in the amount of $1 billion..."
LOL
Says a lot about her as a person and her professionalism as a lawyer, doesn’t it?
shooting for the moon or deepest pockets, read as USGOVT !
Read the whole thing. Regardless of how it turns out (to call this lawsuit quixotic would be a compliment), it's got to feel nice that they essentially paint your blog as the authoritative source for agency goings-on, eh?
Yes. This blog is one of the primary focuses in the complaint
Michelle Murray is supposed to be the attorney in charge of the whistleblower program. What a freaking JOKE! How is this not blatant whistleblower retaliation?!
the friday before christmas the oig sent an email announcing that a different new attorney is now in charge of the whistleblower protection stuff. you have to wonder if this is related...
Can anyone post this on a Google drive or other fileshare?
In what way does it reflect on her as a person?
Why do people post anonymously?
Post a Comment