Suffolk ex-registrar: I was fired for disclosing sexual e-mail

SUFFOLK

The city's former voter registrar, who reportedly resigned in early August "for personal reasons," now says she was fired by the city's Electoral Board after she disclosed that a member of the board had sent her a pornographic e-mail.

The board member, David Sylvia, acknowledged sending the salacious missive to a bunch of his friends. He insisted that he did not realize that the registrar, Sharon Thornhill, was on the recipient list until she brought it up during her annual employment evaluation.

Other board members present at the Aug. 6 meeting said Sylvia "was devastated" when he learned he had inadvertently sent the message containing a series of nude photos to Thornhill, and "he apologized profusely."

They say Thornhill then attempted to pressure the board into giving her a favorable performance review.

Instead, the board told the registrar to turn in her keys and clean out her desk, and she was escorted out of the building. A week later, Sylvia told a reporter that Thornhill had resigned from her $58,571-a-year job "for personal reasons."

Last week, Thornhill forwarded the e-mail to Suffolk City Manager Selena Cuffee-Glenn, along with a note asking, "Do you think it is professional to have someone on a board for the city sending this kind of e-mail on a city e-mail system?"

On the same day, Cuffee-Glenn alerted the City Council members in a letter describing the e-mail as containing "inappropriate and graphic photographs of a nude individual."

"A similar action by a supervisor or employee of the City of Suffolk, if determined to be founded, would result in a disciplinary action, including possible termination," Cuffee-Glenn wrote.

The e-mail, with the subject line "FW: Putting on a bikini," is a series of 14 pictures of a man body-painting a bikini on a nude woman. The Virginian-Pilot obtained a printed copy of the e-mail from the city.

Cuffee-Glenn also notified the State Board of Elections, which oversees local electoral boards, although not on personnel matters. The Suffolk Electoral Board is appointed by the Suffolk Circuit Court on recommendations from local party chairs.

Thornhill, a city employee for 27 years and the registrar since 2007, said Thursday that she was "embarrassed" when she received the e-mail on her office computer in April.

"I didn't know what to do because it was very inappropriate," Thornhill said.

The message was addressed to five other people, including Electoral Board Chairman Kenneth Carpenter.

"I think he intended to send it to friends he hangs out with," Carpenter said. "He shouldn't have sent it to me. He shouldn't have sent it to her. I told him, 'Don't send me any more like that.' "

Carpenter said Thornhill brought up the e-mail during her evaluation.

"She didn't explain what it was, but I knew," he said.

At that point, Carpenter recalls, Sylvia "was devastated. He said, 'I'm sorry. I apologize. I didn't know I sent it to you. What can I do to make it right?' And she said, 'Give me a good evaluation.' "

Sylvia declined to comment about what happened at the meeting. Thornhill said she gave Sylvia an "ultimatum."

"And these are the words I said: 'I deserve a good evaluation,' " she said. "I did everything I was supposed to do in that office.... They say this because they're trying to cover their backs."

When the meeting ended, board member Beverly Outlaw recalls, Thornhill "left the building at our request. She resigned."

Thornhill insists otherwise.

"They fired me. They asked for my keys, brought in boxes and had the police escort me from the building. Does that sound like being fired? It sure does."

Jeff Sheler, (757) 222-5563 or jeff.sheler@pilotonline.com