Mill Creek fires communications chief over illegal recording

MILL CREEK, Wash. (AP) — A city in Washington state says it fired its communications director after she illegally recorded a meeting about the termination of another employee.

The Daily Herald reported Tuesday that Mill Creek fired Joni Kirk, who has handled media inquiries and promoted tourism for the city since 2017.

The city says in a statement that it lost "trust and confidence that she could satisfactorily perform her duties."

It says Kirk violated the state law that requires all parties to consent before making an electronic recording.

Her attorney Rodney Moody says Kirk did not violate the law.

He says Kirk immediately told at least one manager about the recording. He says he examining the firing as possible workplace retaliation.