County auditor files legal complaint against county, treasurer over release of personal records

A top Beaufort County elected official filed a legal complaint this week claiming the county and its treasurer compromised his family’s privacy by releasing personal information to a political adversary.

Beaufort County Auditor Jim Beckert filed the complaint Sept. 29 in Beaufort County Common Pleas Court against both Beaufort County and County Treasurer Maria Walls claiming Walls was sent his personnel file which included his family’s social security numbers, dates of birth and driver’s license numbers.

The complaint claims that Walls was sent the information after she filed a public information request to the county for the file on Aug. 5 under the Freedom of Information Act, which allows the public to request documents from public bodies.

There is typically an exemption under FOIA to allow public bodies to withhold personal information when disclosure could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Beckert’s complaint claims that publicly releasing the information would severely compromise the identities of Beckert, his wife and their two children and may lead to identity theft.

The complaint requests that Walls be barred from sending the records to any third party and asks that she share a list of each person who has possession of the documents. It also requests that the personal information be redacted if they are included in any more information requests.

Beckert declined to comment on the ongoing litigation Friday upon advice from his attorney Kimberly Smith. Two attempts to reach Walls Friday were unsuccessful. Two attempts to reach county legal officials were also not returned.

Beckert and Wall have have been in a public spat for weeks over control of powers related to property tax billing and collection in the county.

Both county administration officials and County Council members have admonished both elected officials for their lack of cooperation.

“I’m going to speak frankly,” County Administrator Gary Kubic said in an August Beaufort County Council Finance Committee. “I think there is a total breakdown of communication between the auditor’s office and the treasurer’s office,”

This story was originally published September 30, 2016 at 4:57 PM with the headline "County auditor files legal complaint against county, treasurer over release of personal records."