A former deputy director of the state Citizens Clean Elections Commission (CCEC) has been awarded $1.1 million by a federal jury that agreed that the commission’s former executive director defamed him.

The ruling was issued Sept. 22. It is not known whether the Commission intends to appeal the ruling.

Mr. Shaffer was fired in 2002 after he defended the bookkeeping methods of then-gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon. The commission alleged at the time that Mr. Shaffer “willingly and deliberately concealed” campaign violations.

Mr. Shaffer’s attorney, Richard J. Harris, said his client’s former boss, Colleen Connor, later wrote a letter to the Department of Public Safety alleging that Mr. Shaffer didn’t perform his duties, committed malfeasance and had a scheme to defraud the commission.

In 2003, Mr. Shaffer filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court based on Ms. Connor’s letter to DPS.

Mr. Shaffer, who was fired Oct. 1, 2002, contended that he was denied due process by being fired for blowing the whistle on what he considered a politically motivated inquiry into gubernatorial candidate Mr. Salmon’s campaign finances.

Mr. Salmon, an unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor in 2002, paid a fine of $3,471.25 on July 30, 2003. The commission imposed the fine after initially seeking a penalty of $10,000 for the late disclosure of nearly $100,000 in expenditures. The commission agreed to the lower amount on the recommendation of an administrative law judge.

Although Mr. Salmon ran his campaign with private contributions, he was required, as are all privately funded candidates, to file a series of campaign finance reports that could be used to determine matching funds for publicly funded candidates.

Ms. Conner resigned from the CCEC June 17 to take a job with Maricopa County Attorney’s Office after serving as the CCEC’s executive director for six years.

Mr. Shaffer works at Tucson Medical Center.

The Citizens Clean Elections Act was passed by voters in 1998 and created a campaign financing system that provides public funding to candidates. Candidates for statewide and legislative offices are eligible to participate in the public funding program.

To qualify for funding, participating candidates must adhere to spending and contribution limits and gather $5 qualifying contributions from district constituents who are registered voters. Participating candidates also agree to attend required debates.

— Arizona Capitol Times and Associated Press reports.