Tucker puts Stevens on leave
A Spokane County deputy prosecutor who announced this week that he’s running for his boss’ job has been placed on paid leave and faces possible discipline. Prosecutor Steve Tucker said his complaints against David Stevens are “obviously” connected to Stevens’ decision to challenge him in the August primary, but he declined to specify further, citing contract rules. Stevens has until Wednesday to respond to a letter sent to him today by Tucker. Stevens declined to release a copy of the letter but said Tucker wrote in it that Stevens had “violated behavioral standards by not effectively communicating with other county employees and not getting along with other coworkers and managers.” The move comes one day after Stevens announced his candidacy and blasted Tucker’s leadership in the Prosecutor’s Office, calling him an “absent administrator.” Tucker questioned Thursday why “the public should be paying somebody to run against his boss” and noted that he resigned as a deputy prosecutor before challenging the incumbent, Jim Sweetser, in 1998. Read the rest of my story here. Past coverage: Tucker deputy wants top job