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Barring a last-minute settlement, jury selection will commence this week in the case of Maria Walls versus Beaufort County, South Carolina – the first in a string of recent court battles which revolve around allegations of sexual harassment and the chronic mistreatment of women in local government.
In Walls’ case, the alleged source of the harassment she endured was former county auditor Jim Beckert, who is also named as a defendant in the case.
According to Walls’ lawsuit(.pdf), which was filed in August of 2020, she took action against Beckert after years of “harassing, bullying, defaming and threatening” behavior. This alleged behavior “created a hostile work environment permeated with discriminatory intimidation” as well as “ridicule and insult.”
Walls claimed Beckert made multiple threatening comments to her, including telling her after learning she was pregnant that he “hoped nothing bad happened to her while she was out of the office or driving home from work one day.”
Among other instances of alleged harassment, Beckert is said to have positioned himself repeatedly outside of Walls’ office window “watching (her) work in an attempt to make (her) feel uncomfortable and/or unsafe.”
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Walls also accused Beckert of using county security cameras to “stalk Walls’ movements and accost her,” alleging he previously used these cameras to “intercept others, especially women” and that his “access to cameras (was) revoked due to his disturbing, inappropriate use.”
As our audience is well aware, Walls isn’t the only woman in county government to level such allegations.
Former county chief financial officer Alicia Holland filed a lawsuit in September 2020 alleging Beckert treated multiple female employees in a “condescending, derogatory, aggressive and bully-like manner.”
“As a result, past and current employees work in constant fear of Beckert and his erratic, threatening behavior,” her lawsuit alleged.
That lawsuit is currently pending.
Another suit – brought in 2022 by former auditor’s office employee Amanda Paulsen – claimed the county “failed to provided a safe and non-hostile work environment for its employees despite its longstanding knowledge and recognition that Beckert has systematically, for years, harassed and intimidated county employees.”
According to Paulson’s filing (.pdf), she was “attacked, humiliated, belittled and harassed” by Beckert and “feared for her job and safety.” A settlement was reportedly reached in Paulsen’s case in April of this year, however details have yet to be released and the file remains open.
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RELATED | FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED
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Despite these high-profile legal actions, the climate for female leaders in county government has not improved.
As Walls’ case heads to trial, criminal allegations against former Beaufort county administrator Eric Greenway remain under investigation by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and investigators in the office of S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe.
Greenway’s termination for cause last July was upheld a year ago by the county’s government council.
Council members originally removed Greenway from office two days after the woman he harassed – and targeted for retaliation when his overtures were rebuffed – went public with her story.
Former county wellness director Lisa Lynch sat down for an extensive interview with this news outlet, decrying the “pervasive and systemic mistreatment of women” in county government.
“I’m not going away,” Lynch told me. “I am going to speak for myself and for all women who have not been able to speak out.”
Lynch filed a federal lawsuit this year against Greenway and the county.
“Beaufort County – either by or through Eric Greenway – was going to make sure (Lynch) paid dearly for not returning the affections of her supervisor and for complaining of the treatment she received based on her gender,” the filing (.pdf) noted.
In addition to her initial lawsuit, Walls has since filed another action against the county alleging retaliation against her in her official capacity. Walls’ second lawsuit (.pdf) accused county leaders – including Greenway – of “impermissibly interfering with the management of personnel employed in the Treasurer’s office,” which is an independently elected position accountable to the citizens of the county.
Last Wednesday (September 4, 2024), S.C. circuit court judge Robert Bonds rejected motions made by Beckert and Beaufort County to effectively dismiss the initial case. In its filing in support of that motion, county attorneys admitted Beckert had been “hostile, boorish, chauvinistic, and abusive” – but denied that they had any responsibility for preventing such conduct.
Bonds’ decision sets the stage for a trial in Beaufort County beginning on Monday (September 9, 2024). Walls is expected to be among the first witnesses called to the stand.
Count on this media outlet to keep our audience apprised of any pertinent developments…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the owner and founding editor of FITSNews. Prior to founding his own news outlet, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina, bass guitarist in an alternative rock band and bouncer at a Columbia, S.C. dive bar. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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