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Investigator Sues CHP Commissioner

On Behalf of | Jun 13, 2007 | News, Videos

Investigator Sues CHP Commissioner

Wendy York is interviewed regarding the claims of corruption within the CHP that her client, an Assistant CHP Chief, is making against the Commissioner. KGO-TV ABC 7

Video Transcript

ABC NEWS REPORT ABOUT THE CHP WHISTLEBLOWER CASE(Investigator Sues CHP Commissioner)

REPORTER I: Allegations of corruption at the highest levels of the California Highway Patrol. Tonight a CHP insider blows the whistle.

WENDY YORK: This man is a man who has devoted 19 years of service to CHP – they have destroyed a man, his career and his reputation.

REPORTER II: She is talking about the man who blew the whistle on the California Highway Patrol. A man who is making new allegations tonight of corruption.

REPORTER I: The man appointed to investigate the high number of medical pensions in the CHP – something called “Chief’s Disease” is suing the CHP Commissioner saying the Commissioner is being punished for doing his job too well. It’s a story ABC 7 has been following – Vic Lee is in the newsroom with more tonight – Vic.

VIC LEE: Well Pete – this is the amended lawsuit filed in Sacramento by Asst. CHP Chief Brian Kilmer. The 19-year veteran says he was retaliated against when he discovered that “Chief’s Disease” goes all the way to the top.

WENDY YORK: They are not being honest to our public – to our taxpayers and somebody needs to hold them accountable.

VIC LEE: Attorney Wendy York says that someone was her client – Asst. Chief Brian Kilmer. The man CHP Commissioner Mike Brown appointed last fall to weed out worker’s comp fraud in the CHP. Kilmer headed the CHP fraud task force to investigate an phenomenon known as “Chief’s Disease” an unusually high rate of disability retirements among the highest ranking officers. 80% among Asst. Chiefs, almost the same for Deputy Chiefs, 68% for Asst. Commissioners. Kilmer says he discovered that Commissioner Brown’s administration was forcing Chiefs to retire when they fell out of favor. York explains how.

WENDY YORK: Encouraging Chiefs that don’t fit within their “good ?le boy” system or their little political power program to use the Worker’s Compensation system to push out Chiefs who don’t want to go down that road.

VIC LEE: The lawsuit says Commissioner Brown and his Deputy Joe Farrow retaliated against Kilmer.

WENDY YORK: Then they move him to a different assignment of doing menial tasks and push him out by saying “we want you to file a worker’s comp claim” when he doesn’t want to do so.

VIC LEE: The amended complaint charges Commissioner Brown with “a questionable past”. It says that while Brown was Commander of the Southern Division 850 fraudulent bus driver certificates were issued.

WENDY YORK: Over 800 school bus drivers did not have the appropriate criminal background checks done as Commissioner Brown suggested and approximately 8 of them were child molesters – registered sex offenders.

VIC LEE: The suit also says during his tenure in Los Angeles Brown had a history of absenteeism.

WENDY YORK: There was an extra curricular activity in terms of a relationship that he had that was taking time away from him doing his job.

VIC LEE: And finally that Brown misused CHP resources.

WENDY YORK: Commissioner Brown used the CHP plane to attend a movie premiere. Talk about using our public taxpayer dollars inappropriately.

VIC LEE: Now Asst. Chief Kilmer is on medical leave. His attorney says a part of his condition due to stress from the retaliation. The CHP says neither the Commissioner nor the agency will comment on the lawsuit. Now the Sacramento D.A. has convened a Grand Jury to investigate Chief’s Disease. Attorney York says Kilmer was initially subpoenaed to testify but he has not been called yet. Vic Lee ABC 7 News.

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