Turnpike authority to sue ex-director
The Maine Turnpike Authority is planning to sue its former executive director, who left the organization in March following scrutiny over his spending habits.
MTA Interim Executive Director Peter Mills told the Portland Press Herald the authority could sue Paul Violette as early as today, but would not specify how much money the authority hopes to recoup. Violette's attorney, Peter DeTroy, told the paper he expects the suit to seek more than the nearly $200,000 he spent on gift certificates for expensive hotels and restaurants. At an April hearing, the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee presented evidence showing Violette did not use the gift cards as donations to other groups, but redeemed them himself. Violette refused to answer questions at the hearing.
Violette's departure came less than two months after a report from the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability questioned some of MTA's spending, including more than $1 million spent from 2005 to 2009 on travel and meals. The state's attorney general's office is currently conducting a criminal investigation into Violette's actions, and a criminal case could be brought before the end of the year.
DeTroy said Violette will likely seek to suspend MTA's civil suit while there is a possibility for criminal charges, according to the paper.
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