Law firm fires back at Monessen mayor in sexual harassment lawsuit by city employee
When responding Tuesday to allegations of a sexual harassment lawsuit, Mayor Lou Mavrakis made other sexually lewd comments that cannot be shared with the public.
But Wednesday, those comments were shown to KM & A law firm representing Melissa Luketich in the lawsuit.
"I mea,n I feel like it just proves our case. If he's saying this to the public, what is he saying behind closed doors?" attorney Christi Wallace asked.
Luketich, a parking enforcement officer, filed the lawsuit after she requested more hours in May.
She claims the mayor responded inappropriately and sexually and followed up with intimidation tactics. He's quoted in the lawsuit as saying:
“If you want more hours, come to the city building, get under my desk,’” insinuating that he wanted Luketich to perform oral sex on him.
Mavrakis, a Democrat, denied making that statement when questioned by Pittsburgh's Action News 4.
"I've had prostate surgery. If she got under the desk, it wouldn't be any good for me. It wouldn't be any good for her. There just isn't anything there," he said.
Mavrakis believes the lawsuit is an attempt to derail his campaign, as he seeks a second term in office as mayor.
"Right? I'm coming up on election and I'm in a bitter fight, and the people that I replaced are vindictive as hell and they want to replace me," Mavrakis said.
"It's right before the election, what do you think? They want me out of there. I know that these people are vindictive. They'll do anything to me."
Wallace denies the mayor's claims, saying, "We have no comment to that. This is 100 percent not politically motivated. "
Mavrakis says Luketich also recently filed a vindictive lawsuit against Pilot Travel Center after she was fired, but Wallace countered back, "I feel like it's a way to deflect from the current lawsuit. The other lawsuit that has been filed is independent and has nothing to do with this lawsuit. It's primarily a disability discrimination lawsuit."