A jury verdict has ordered the state to pay Stacey Kalberman $700,000 for unfairly forcing her from office. The jury found the former director of the ethics commission was unfairly forced from office as retribution for investigating Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2010 campaign.

Kalberman sued her former employer, claiming the commission’s decisions to cut her salary by $35,000 and eliminate her top deputy’s position were in response to her desire to issue subpoenas for records in the investigation.

Attorneys for the commission argued the motivation for the cuts was concern for a budget crisis. Holly Laberge, who replaced Kalberman, testified she did not find a budget crisis when she took office.