Naval Station employee claims harassment by former commander
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) -- A civilian employee at Naval Station Newport is suing the federal government -- saying officials allowed a former base commanding officer to harass him. The Newport Daily News reports that paralegal specialist Joseph Sweeney filed the lawsuit in February. He also filed the formal complaint that led the Navy to relieve Captain Ruth Cooper of command in August 2003. Sweeney says that between 2001 and 2003, Cooper slandered and unfairly suspended him. He claims the government was aware of the problems, but didn't stop them. A Navy probe found Cooper created a negative climate on the base, and was guilty of inappropriate spending. The Navy refused a request by the Daily News to say how Cooper has been disciplined. Cooper was still in the Navy as of March, and was being paid more than eight thousand dollars per month.
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