Prison pharmacist wins judgment against firms tied to senator
An Orange County pharmacist has won a $20,000 judgment against two companies he said stiffed him on pay for work he did on a state contract while the firms were co-owned by the husband of state Sen. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine).
The state labor commissioner found that pharmacist Larry Drechsler of Orange County had not been paid more than $4,000 that was owed him for services provided to the companies, American Healthcare Recruiting and Drug Consultants Inc. The rest of the award was for interest and penalties.
In 2011, when Drechsler did the work in question, the firms were co-owned by David Walters, the senator’s husband. The couple said they sold their interest in April 2012.
“I hold them 100% accountable for what was done to me,” Drechsler said. “It’s hideous.”
Sen. Walters, who is running for Congress, was out of town and not available for comment, said spokesman Garth Eisenbeis.
The Times reported last year that dozens of medical workers claimed they had not been paid by David Walters’ business for work in state prisons.
The Fair Political Practices Commission investigated the senator after her office made calls to state prison officials about a contract dispute with her husband’s firm. That case was closed without prosecution.
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