Harassment
….”Ms. Graziano did everything within her power to drive Walle from her employment, and succeeded,” the lawsuit states…. timesdispatch.com
Jennifer Walle, who alleged battery by Graziano’s aide, David Hathcock, has filed a new suit alleging that [councilor Kathy C. Graziano] and a family friend undertook a campaign to defame Walle in the months after she came forward with her allegations…seeks $5 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages…. richmondmagazine.com
In the wake of an alleged groping incident involving two former aides, the Richmond City Council is being asked to adopt for its employees the same personnel rules that apply to city administration workers.
As of Sept. 15, three law firms had billed the city a total of $173,481 for expenses associated with defending the city, Graziano and Hathcock against Walle’s civil lawsuit and the EEOC complaint, said City Attorney Allen L. Jackson.
via Judge withdraws criminal charges against Hathcock | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
According to court documents obtained by CBS 6, during a hearing last month, Walle says Trammell called her on the phone, telling her that Graziano had referred to Walle as a “tease” and that she enjoyed what David [Hathcock] did to her.
Now, the city has questions for Trammel about that alleged phone call, but Trammel says she does not want to get involved in the case, so she hired Morchower.
via wtvr.
Hayden Fisher, Walle’s attorney, says he doesn’t know whether the EEOC has begun an investigation into Walle’s original complaint, or whether the newest complaint would be treated “separately, or jointly.”
Fisher says that Walle was told of Graziano’s alleged comment by Councilwoman Reva Trammell following a February City Council meeting.
But Tramell denies ever having spoken with Walle directly about the allegations involving Hathcock or Graziano. “We’ve never spoken about her case,” she said shortly after Thursday night’s Council meeting.
via Style Weekly
On Monday, Councilman E. Martin Jewell dropped a proposed expedited resolution that would have removed David R. Hathcock from his liaison position effective immediately. Hathcock, an aide to Council President Kathy C. Graziano, is taking accrued vacation until his retirement Oct. 1.
via Jewell drops proposal to fire Hathcock immediately | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
That Graziano was aware of the Fultz allegations while City Council imploded in the Walle scandal, however, is a new wrinkle. Fultz testified last week that Graziano visited her the day before the Walle incident became public, during City Council’s first meeting in January, to give her a heads up.
So far, the city’s legal bills are as follows:
$62,587 from Willcox & Savage, representing the city at $210 per hour.
$53,180 from LeClairRyan, representing Graziano at $295 per hour.
$9,879 from Harman, Claytor, Corrigan & Wellman, representing Hathcock at $200 per hour.
via City’s legal bills in harassment case stand at $125,646 | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
“I absolutely call for her to step down, as I have in the past,” Jewell said, citing inconsistencies in Graziano’s explanation of “what she knew and when she knew it” about the alleged actions of her liaison, David Hathcock, who recently announced his retirement. “She has dishonestly manipulated this matter from start to finish. In the process, she has deceived her colleagues, she has deceived the public and has dishonored this office — pure and simple.”