The former executive director of a Texas scholarship charity claims she was fired for raising questions about the organization’s hiring of the state’s top higher-education official as a fund-raiser, reports the Dallas Morning News.

Raymund Paredes, who earns $180,000 a year as commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, is also paid $40,000 annually by the College for All Texans Foundation, a scholarship provider that works with the board to enroll more students. Gretchen Flateau, who was fired from her position with the education foundation in December, claims Mr. Paredes did not do any fund raising and alleges she was ousted for raising the issue with the charity.

Bob Shepard, who chairs the nonprofit group’s board and formerly sat on the Coordinating Board, denied any link between the contract and Ms. Flateau’s firing and said Mr. Paredes has been “a tremendous rainmaker” for the charity. The contract, in force since 2005, is legal under Texas law but has also been questioned by some watchdogs.