EDWARDSVILLE – Doug Hulme and Rob Dorman, who worked for Madison County County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler until the county board fired them in 2020, have filed a new lawsuit against the county and several individuals for damages in Madison County Circuit Court.
Their counsel Michael Lawder of St. Louis alleged defamation, interference with contracts, and violation of eavesdropping law.
Lawder also alleged retaliation for whistle blowing and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Hulme and Dorman have filed 12 court actions together.
Hulme worked for Prenzler as deputy treasurer through 2016, when Prenzler defeated incumbent chairman Alan Dunstan.
Prenzler picked Hulme for county administrator and Dorman for information technology.
In 2017, former State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons created a task force among various law enforcement agencies to investigate Hulme and Dorman.
They raided the administration building in 2018 and seized computers.
Outside Judge Jerry Crisel appointed Attorney General Kwame Raoul as special prosecutor, and Raoul closed the case in 2019 without bringing charges.
In 2020, the task force wired Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser during a conversation with Hulme.
The conversation was presented to County Board members, and they terminated Hulme and Dorman as a result.
Fifth District appellate judges affirmed a decision against them in July, finding procedural failures doomed their due process claim.
Previous counsel for Hulme and Dorman, the late Ed Moorman, filed a complaint similar to Lawder’s complaint at U.S. district court in 2021.
Senior District Judge Phil Gilbert dismissed the case last year for insufficient information.
He granted leave to amend the complaint, but Hulme and Dorman didn’t amend it.
Gilbert dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, giving Hulme and Dorman a year to file it again.
Lawder made their deadline, arguing that the task force was a witch hunt.
He sought damages from Gibbons, former Madison County Chief Judge Bill Mudge, appellate prosecutor Jennifer Mudge, and Slusser.
Lawder also sought damages from Sheriff Jeff Connor, former Sheriff John Lakin, former Sheriff’s Captain David Vucich, and former county board members Ray Wesley, Tom McRae, Jamie Goggin, Erica Harris and Mike Parkinson.
He claimed the board members texted inappropriately throughout the termination meeting on April 16, 2020, “having a meeting within a meeting.”
He also claimed executive sessions of that meeting and a meeting the previous night remain closed and withheld from the public.
Lawder alleged there was no credible evidence that Hulme and Dorman violated any laws or Madison County policies.
He also argued that the wired conversation should have only been released to those prosecuting or investigating a case as pursuant to Illinois law.
“It is illegal for such overhears to be played for anyone else,” he wrote.
Lawder's whistle blowing claim stated Dorman determined through lawful means that Dunstan and administrator Joseph Parente used county equipment for political purposes.
He claimed Hulme lawfully determined that former administrative services director Barry Harris also used county email in prohibited political activity.
Lawder alleged Hulme did a broader search and discovered more political activity by other persons on the county network.
“These employees were scheduling the fund raisers and campaign activities on county time using county equipment,” he wrote.
“Dorman only allowed Hulme access after Hulme pointed out the specific provisions in the electronic communications policy for him to have it,” he added.
On defamation, Lawder claimed statements that Hulme and Dorman committed crimes were false and defendants published them without privilege.
He alleged damages in loss of reputations, salaries, pension rights, insurance, and other employment benefits.
He alleged tremendous emotional damages such as anxiety, worry, and traumatic stress.