If she wasn't governor yet, then she couldn't have fired the guy.
The real story is that when she won the governorship a good while later, she rid state government of those she didn't want serving in her administration.
That is the right of every chief executive.
Along with lots of others, she let this one go.
Why not a hit piece about the tax bureau guy she let go, and she objected to tax increases prior to her governorship?
1. You do something I don't like.
2. I turn you in.
3. Later, I become your boss.
4. As the new boss, I fire you and some others.
While you might have created an impression that didn't help you when it came to setting up my shop with my people, there is no necessary connection. I probably would have fired you because you were a crappy worker.
Sonny Bono did the same thing in Palm Springs where as this inspector kept costing him more money to re-do his restaurant and Sonny told him he was going to run for mayor and fire him. He did, won and fired the guy!