She won the job. Then the new Coast tax assessor fired her opponent, lawsuit says.
A former employee of the Harrison County tax assessor’s office claims in a lawsuit that he lost his job because he ran against the eventual winner of the race, Paula Ladner.
Tommy McAdams has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Ladner, retired Tax Assessor Tal Flurry and Harrison County.
McAdams, brother of Chancery Clerk John McAdams, claims Ladner and Flurry illegally retaliated against him for exercising his First Amendment right to freedom of expression. He singles out Ladner for willfully interfering with his job as real property field director.
Tommy McAdams is seeking back pay and lost benefits, reinstatement or future wages in lieu of returning, punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
In August 2019, Ladner defeated McAdams in the Republican primary for tax assessor, securing 69% of the vote to his 31%. She went on to win an overwhelming majority of votes against a Libertarian candidate in the Nov. 2019 general election.
Ladner has worked in the tax assessor’s office since 1987. McAdams went to work under Flurry as a field appraiser in 2001 and was promoted to the director’s position in 2007.
Tax assessor denies lawsuit claims
When Flurry decided in 2019 to retire, both he and Ladner, then the assessor’s chief administrative officer, qualified to run for the office. McAdams claims Ladner told him that she would fire him if she was elected, the lawsuit says.
Both Ladner and Flurry deny McAdams’ claims. Ladner’s response to the lawsuit says “she did not believe (McAdams) was hired appropriately nor was he a good employee prior to ever seeking the office of tax assessor.”
Ladner also said she told McAdams that she planned to restructure the staff when she took office and that his job would be eliminated.
She notified him in writing on Jan. 3, 2020, that she would be restructuring the office and eliminating his position, effective when she took office three days later. Ladner advised McAdams that he would need to turn in his badge, and all keys to the office and courthouse, before leaving.
Flurry said he had no authority to prevent Ladner from restructuring the staff or eliminating McAdams’ position.
Tim Holleman, attorney for the county Board of Supervisors, filed the responses for Ladner and Flurry.
“We look forward to getting to the truth,” Holleman told the Sun Herald, adding that he could not comment further on pending litigation.
These days, according to his Facebook page, McAdams has his own business, Mac’s Lawn Care. He is represented by the Watkins & Norris law firm in Jackson.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 5:50 AM.
