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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is being accused of unlawful termination in retaliation for preparing to pursue legal action over an alleged sexual assault by a former staffer, according to The Huffington Post.
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The lawsuit, filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe, accused Damien Jones, a former employee of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) of raping her in October 2015. The woman was a 19-year-old intern and Jones was her 30-year-old supervisor at the CBCF, where Jackson chairs the board of directors, states The Huffington Post.
The woman claims that Jones got her drunk and he, and possibly his roommate sexually assaulted her after he allegedly invited her to his apartment.
She reported the alleged assault to Metropolitan Police Department and a rape kit exam was performed, according to Buzzfeed.
Jones has allegedly denied that he had sexual intercourse with the woman. After she “threw up everywhere” he said he removed her clothes, put her in the shower, and placed her in bed at his apartment.
The anonymous woman has proof of text messages she sent to her friend asking for helping and wanting to leave his place, but she did not know where she was.
Jane Doe said she reported the alleged assault to the CBCF, which placed Jones on leave. The Huffington Post reports that it is not clear how the CBCF, the defendant in the suit, addressed the allegations against Jones.
The anonymous woman’s lawsuit states that she took on a job with Jackson Lee in late 2017 and learned on the first day that Jones was interested in working with the congresswoman . She discussed her concerns with Jackson Lee’s chief of staff, Glenn Rushing about Jones, who assured her that Jones would not be hired.
Doe’s suit said she continued her role in good standing until last month when she revealed that she had plans to take legal action against the CBCF over the alleged assault. Days later, she was fired, due to Jackson Lee’s office citing budget concerns.
The lawsuit states that the woman’s career was derailed due to her termination and she also suffered lost wages. The lawsuit seeks more than $75,000 in damages and a jury trial.
Rushing informed Buzzfeed in a phone call that, “We had nothing to do with any of the actions that have been cited and the person was not wrongfully terminated.”
Jackson Lee’s office released a statement following the phone call, saying that the office “adamantly denies the allegations that it retaliated against, or otherwise improperly treated, the plaintiff. It is against office policy to discuss specific details about internal personnel matters.” The statement also referenced Jackson Lee’s record on civil rights and non-discrimination measures.
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