Update: Under the threat of a lawsuit, Harford County State's Attorney Allison Healy says County Executive Bob Cassilly has reversed course and granted her access to an employee's work email.
Healy's officer released this statement after Cassilly reconsidered.
"In an effort of good faith and yet another attempt to resolve this situation amicably and without additional burden to the citizens of Harford County, Ms. Healey reached out to Mr. Cassilly again today, renewing her request for access to the required State’s Attorney’s Office data prior to filing action with the Court. Mr. Cassilly responded moments ago that his administration will now grant Ms. Healey’s request for access to the data. Ms. Healey thanks Mr. Cassilly and his administration for their reconsideration."
Original Story:
State's Attorney Alison Healey is alleging County Executive Bob Cassilly is retaliating against her office for referring an investigation to the state prosecutor's office for independent review into allegations Cassilly spied on a council member's emails.
The allegations levied by councilman Aaron Penman are that Cassilly spied on his emails as he was inquiring about potentially misappropriated funds.
"That matter that led to the Cassilly administration's retaliation against my office was outside of my jurisdiction and presented an inherent conflict of interest," said Healey.
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Healey claims her office is trying to access an employee's email who went on emergency medical leave last week.
She says the employees emails are essential to the operation of her office including things like invoices and contracts.
According to her, Cassilly is blocking her access unless she says what he did wasn't illegal.
"The Cassilly administration believes I should've made a prosecutorial determination to their political benefit even though it would've been unethical and a violation of my oath of office," said Healey.
County Executive Cassilly was in the audience for Healey's press conference, speaking to reporters immediately after.
"Miss Healey asked my office and me to provide her with emails owned by someone else on the county server, folks, that is the exactly the conduct that she referred me to the state prosecutor," said County Executive Cassilly.
Cassilly called this a political hit job.
Healey says her office is pursuing legal action to get access to the emails.
She also says her office is requesting emergency funding to create a separate server for the State's Attorney's Office.
Cassilly did try to talk with Healey after the press conference but when he came out of her office the two still hadn't come to an agreement.
