Fired lawyer told of border agency mismanagement

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A former lawyer for a little-known federal agency that helps control the Rio Grande and the U.S. boundary with Mexico says he was fired after complaining of gross mismanagement.

Robert McCarthy was fired by the commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission in July. That was just days after he disclosed to several federal auditing agencies concerns about mismanagement of funds and construction of shoddy levees.

Commissioner Bill Ruth accused McCarthy of failing to support him and the rest of the executive staff.

The government employees' union has filed a complaint seeking to get McCarthy his job back.

A call to Ruth's spokesman wasn't returned Thursday.