Judge: ‘Seems probable’ Humboldt County attorney was fired over his free speech

Humboldt County legal counsel Jeff Blanck has been on paid administrative leave for more than a year without being officially fired, a status that won’t change for at least another few months.

The head county attorney was told that a hearing would be held April 30 to determine if he will be terminated over multiple anonymous personnel complaints against him.

But on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg ordered that the hearing not be held before June 1, partly because the ongoing coronavirus pandemic would make it difficult for Blanck to track down favorable witnesses.

Seeborg wrote that Blanck has raised “serious questions” about whether the county violated his right to free speech when it placed him on leave right after he began raising issues with the county’s financial conduct.

“Given Blanck was fired immediately after a closed-door session at which the individuals against whom he had complained, were present — and themselves admitted a conflict of interest — it seems probable Blanck’s protected speech was a motivating factor for his firing,” states the order granting Blanck’s injunction.

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