Whistleblower said he was fired for raising concerns that included overturned Saline County election

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The former head of election integrity for the State of Missouri sued his ex-boss on Monday, alleging retaliation after he reported wrongdoing.

Hoskins is accused of firing former Director of Election Integrity Nicholas La Strada for "blowing the whistle on fabricated evidence and a decision to overturn a certified election," according to La Strada's legal team. La Strada is a Republican and was appointed by Hoskins to serve in the role.

La Strada's attorneys talked about the lawsuit Monday on the steps of the Cole County Courthouse. La Strada was out of the country observing elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the State Department.

La Strada alleges he was fired for blowing the whistle on illegal and unethical conduct within the Secretary of State's Office, including a plan to fabricate evidence in a federal hearing and the decision to overturn a certified municipal election in Marshall.

According to Missouri law, retaliating against an employee, agent, or contractor for exposing wrongdoing is unlawful.