Two Albuquerque law firms will represent Spaceport America's former chief financial officer in his whistleblower complaint that accuses state officials of defrauding taxpayers of $200 million and retaliating against him for bringing mismanagement to light.
Zach DeGregorio, who filed his initial complaint two weeks ago in District Court with no attorney, is now represented by Western Agriculture, Resource and Business Advocates LLP and the Law Offices of Marshall J. Ray.
"This is probably one of the most well-documented and one of the more egregious retaliations against a whistleblower," said attorney Blair Dunn. "He did everything he was supposed to do as a whistleblower. In response to that, they turned around and opened an investigation and made him a subject of that investigation."
Upper managers forced DeGregorio to resign, Dunn said.
Representatives for the spaceport and the Governor's Office have said they won't comment on a pending court case.
DeGregorio's lawsuit was revised so it better adheres to standards for presenting whistleblower complaints, such as limiting the legal action to the direct employer rather than suing all the entities and leaders linked to that employer, Dunn said.
DeGregorio had previously sued the state of New Mexico and sought to make Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, state Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes and other state officials defendants, Dunn said.
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