An image of former Douglas County deputy district attorney was released Tuesday pursuant to an Kansas Open Records request.

The images were captured Friday at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center lobby and depict Joshua Seiden, the now former deputy DA, imitating a man who has gained notoriety for his profane and sometimes disruptive commentary at public meetings and his run-ins with law enforcement.

As the Journal-World reported, Seiden, DA Suzanne Valdez’s right-hand man and campaign treasurer, abruptly departed the DA’s office in recent days, just weeks before the Democratic primary election.

The Journal-World learned that sheriff’s deputies reported seeing Seiden Friday morning at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center imitating public commenter Justin Spiehs. Spiehs was most recently arrested in May at a Douglas County Commission meeting for allegedly “interfering with the conduct of public business” after holding an obscene sign insulting a commissioner and arguing with the commission chair. Valdez declined to file charges in that incident. At a recent candidate forum, she referred to Spiehs, who has filed several lawsuits against the City of Lawrence and other government entities. Spiehs was at the forum carrying signs that said “Democrats are racist” and “Nazis work here.” Valdez told the audience that she works to protect the rights of people like Spiehs who regularly express their First Amendment rights. Spiehs could be heard booing Valdez after each question she answered at the forum.

According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy photographed Seiden in the act of imitating Spiehs so that “the deputy could notify his supervisors about what was happening.” Sheriff Jay Armbrister then took “immediate steps to contact the District Attorney to make sure she was aware of the situation. As an elected official, the District Attorney’s personnel decisions about her agency rest solely with her,” Armbrister’s office said in an email to the Journal-World.

Valdez’s office has not commented on the reason for Seiden’s departure, except to say that “Joshua Seiden has been an integral part of our office since District Attorney Valdez took office, and his contributions have been significant. We wish him the very best as he seeks new opportunities.”

Seiden’s departure came amid evidently ongoing turmoil in the DA’s office, as the Journal-World reported Monday. Multiple sources told the Journal-World that Seiden played an outsized role in the office, regularly behaving as the de facto district attorney.

The Journal-World asked Valdez’s office several specific questions about office roles, dynamics and relationships. Cheryl Cadue, the spokesperson for the office, did not respond to any of the questions specifically, but issued a general statement via email denouncing the Journal-World for asking about the issues.

“It is dangerous and even slanderous to throw these types of allegations around,” Cadue said via email. “This represents a new low of depravity, even for the Lawrence Journal-World.”