Former Manager Sues PA Turnpike Commission for Political Firing

A former manager for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is suing the agency for wrongful firing, claiming he was let go because of his lack of political connectaions, the Post-Gazette reports.

Donald Kovac claims he was fired for refusing to reinstate a toll collector who assaulted a motorist (and was captured doing so on video).  With pressure from the Teamsters, then chairman Mitchell Rubin – since forced to resign due to an ongoing FBI investigation and his wife’s conviction – gave the order to fire Kovac.

It gets better.  How do think Kovac was told he was being fired?

On Nov. 20, Mr. Kovac said, he was driving a turnpike-owned car that had been assigned to him when he was pulled over by a state trooper and told he had been fired.

Given the depth of corruption of political patronage at the Turnpike Commission,  I didn’t think much would surprise me – but getting pulled over by police to get a pink slip rather than a speeding ticket is bizarre.