County commissioner accused of defamation, breach of contract in ex-employee’s lawsuit
The former Canyon County Human Resources director has sued the county, a county commissioner and former employee for defaming her and breaching her employment contract.
The lawsuit by Sue Baumgart, who worked for the county for five years, says Commissioner Leslie Van Beek and former county Facilities Director Paul Navarro defamed her by telling people she had been fired when she had actually resigned.
By characterizing Baumgart’s situation improperly, Van Beek and Navarro breached the county’s contract with her, the lawsuit said. She seeks $1 million in damages.
Baumgart’s lawyer, Scott Rose, told the Idaho Statesman by phone Friday that he had served Van Beek and Navarro with summonses and planned to serve the county soon.
According to the lawsuit:
- On Jan. 14, 2021, while she was still employed at the county, Baumgart filed an complaint against Van Beek for “creating a workplace that is hostile, offensive and predatory.” Her complaint said Baumgart faced “gender discrimination and persistent and unwanted harassment.”
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- A few days later, the commissioners placed Baumgart on temporary administrative leave, which she thinks was retaliation for filing the complaint.
- Months later, on June 10, Baumgart decided to resign. She signed a “Resignation, Severance and Release Agreement” that included promises that Canyon County and its commissioners agreed not to “disparage or denigrate Baumgart orally or in writing” and not to ”take any derogatory action against Baumgart personally or professionally.” The agreement said all terms in it were confidential.
- After Baumgart signed the agreement, Van Beek began telling people that “we finally fired Sue Baumgart” and further disparaged her. Navarro then spread the falsehoods.
- Van Beek’s statement was “false and tended to impugn the honesty, integrity, virtue and/or reputation of Ms. Baumgart.”
The case was assigned to Ada County District Judge Patrick Miller, because the Canyon County judges deemed the case a conflict of interest, Rose said.
Van Beek and Navarro are being represented by Bruce Castleton, of Castleton Law, Rose said.
Castleton declined to comment on the lawsuit, and Van Beek did not respond to an email and text message requesting comment.
Baumgart’s lawsuit is not the first time Van Beek faced criticism. Last year her fellow commissioners, who were not reelected last November, asked Van Beek to resign because of Baumgart’s tort claim, which is often a precursor to a lawsuit, and because of her mistreatment of county employees. Van Beek did not resign and called her fellow commissioners’ comments “slanderous” and “abusive.”
Van Beek was reelected in 2020, and her seat will be on the ballot again in 2024.
