Fired health dept. spokesman settles lawsuit against state
The former spokesman for the state Department of Public Health who was fired during the pandemic has settled his legal action against the state.
Av Harris filed a lawsuit after he was fired last year. He said his dismissal was retaliation for questioning the legality of an order that he obtain police information about a sports bar that Department of Public Health officials had planned to cite for a Covid-related violation.
The lawsuit was dismissed in October and the state agreed to pay Harris $44,600 in exchange for his agreement not to file an appeal. The agreement, which was first obtained by the CT Examiner through a Freedom of Information Act request, also credits him with five extra months of employment, which qualifies him for state retiree health benefits.
The agreement bars Harris from discussing the details of his legal claim. In a statement posted on Linkedin and provided by one of his lawyers, Irene Bassock of Empower Legal Group, he said he considers the matter closed.
“Both sides have agreed to strict confidentiality regarding this settlement,” Harris said. “I am happy to have this matter resolved so I can turn the page and move on. I thank my attorneys,
Irene Magish Bassock and Rick Hayber, for their able, determined, and strong legal representation. I am grateful to the Department of Public Health and Gov. (Ned) Lamont’s administration for working with us to find a fair and just resolution to this case.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the state denies any unlawful conduct.
The “payment of the aforementioned sum is not intended to constitute ... an admission of liability” by the state, according to the agreement, which was negotiated by lawyers in state Attorney General William Tong’s office.
Harris, who was making
$110,000 a year in the health department job, had been one of the highest-profile press aides in state and city government over the past decade. He handled press duties for statewide elected officials, for Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim from 2015 to early 2019, and since then for DPH.
Harris has recently taken a new position as spokesman for the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan group dedicated to educating the public about the long-term implications of federal budget deficits and the national debt.