A Massachusetts Governor's aide indicted on gun and drug trafficking charges claimed it would be 'inequitable' if he lost out on his $31,438 vacation time payout. 

Lamar D Cook, 46, was fired from Governor Maura Healey's Springfield office following his arrest in October and paid out for roughly 530 hours of unused leave.

In a lawsuit filed in January, Healey claimed the money was 'erroneously paid out' and ordered he return it with interest included, the Boston Globe reported.

In April, Cook fired back in court documents. He claimed that paying the money back would violate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices. 

'Equity and fairness weigh strongly against requiring repayment under these circumstances,' he said. 'Repayment would be inequitable given the Commonwealth’s role in issuing the payment and my good faith reliance on it.'

Equity is often considered one of the most controversial aspects of DEI, which is a framework adopted by businesses and school systems to promote left-wing political ideology under the branding of fair treatment.

HR consultant Mary Hampton told Forbes, in practice, many worry the concept of 'equity' has overshadowed the importance of equality. 

Where equality allows each person the same thing, equity allots each person different things based on what they need to succeed, Hampton explained. 

Cook was terminated via email after a sting operation revealed a 17-pound package containing bricks of cocaine addressed to his office in Springfield, police claimed. 

A state trooper posing as a UPS driver allegedly caught Cook retrieving the package as it was delivered.

Prosecutors also allegedly found a digital scale in his office with traces of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. 

Police intercepted multiple packages addressed to Hotel UMass, where Cook previously served as director, reported 22News.

Prosecutors alleged that Cook had been observed retrieving multiple suspicious UPS packages from the mail room.

More than 21,000 grams of cocaine were intercepted during the investigation, police said. 

After searching his home, police also seized a 9MM Taurus G3 pistol and ammunition. He did not have a firearm license.

Cook was held on a $25,000 bail and released in March. He has pleaded not guilty on all charges. 

Governor Healey has argued that Cook was not entitled to his payout because he was fired 'for cause.'

But Cook alleged in court documents that the termination was issued 'prior to any arrest or formal criminal charges.' 

'At the time of termination, there had been no adjudication, conviction, or formal finding that would substantiate a "for cause" determination sufficient to forfeit [the] earned compensation,' Cook said. 

'Any retroactive attempt to justify the denial of earned wages on that basis is improper and unsupported.'

According to the filing, Cook denied any 'material allegations', arguing that the timeline of his termination was 'critical.'

He added that his payout went through the state's 'payroll and human resources processes, without any misrepresentation or wrongdoing on my part.'

Before his arrest, Cook was considered a 'pillar of the community.' 

He advocated against gun violence, mentored black youth, and was recognized as one of Springfield's 100 Men of Color.

Hampden County Assistant District Attorney claimed his March court hearing that Cook was living a double life.

'He was conning all of these good people in the community, conning the UMass hotel, conning the governor’s office,' she said. 'Because in reality, he was pushing this poison into our community.'

Cook was hired by the Governor's Office in 2023. According to his LinkedIn, he operated as the Deputy Director of Healey's Western Massachusetts Office.

His salary was approximately $115,000 per year.

The Daily Mail contacted Cook, Governor Healey's Office and the Hampden County District Attorney for comment.