Former state Department of Public Health (DPH) spokesman Av Harris is suing the state, claiming wrongful termination.
Harris says in December of last year, he was asked by the office of Acting DPH Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford to seek information from Bridgeport police about violations of COVID-19 protocols at a sports bar, Mangoz.
Harris then attempted to contact DPH attorneys with legal questions. He was concerned about the legality of the state's impending $10,000 fine against Mangoz. He was also wary of interfering with Bridgeport police, who were investigating a recent double homicide at the bar. When Harris didn't hear back from the lawyers, he contacted the governor's office.
But later, Harris says he was admonished by Commissioner Gifford and told he couldn't be trusted. Two days later, he was fired, in what he considers an act of illegal retaliation against a whistleblower.
"It is illegal," Harris adds "to fire an employee in the state of Connecticut for raising concerns about something that may be not legal to any kind of public body."
The current DPH press office writes, "DPH is not commenting on pending litigation."