Judge dismisses $1M employee lawsuit against Trumbull Commissioners
WARREN, Ohio - A federal judge has dismissed a $1 million defamation and discrimination lawsuit filed against the Trumbull County Commissioners.
U.S. District Judge John Adams on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed in July by county employee Lisa DeNunzio Blair claiming she was denied a promotion to an assistant clerk position in retaliation for previously filing a complaint against Commissioner Niki Frenchko.
Blair had reported Frenchko to her supervisors and the Director of Human Resources about alleged cyber-bullying, sending harassing emails to Blair, and accusing Blair of being a liar.
In dismissing the suit, Judge Adams found that the specific facts alleged to have been engaged in by Frenchko, coupled with the fact the Board has no authority over Frenchko, led Judge Adams to conclude that Frenchko was not acting as the Board’s agent when engaged in the alleged conduct.
Frenchko has previously denied the allegations.
Just last week, another federal judge agreed to dismiss another of the six lawsuits involving commissioners.
U.S. District Court Judge Benita Pearson signed an order acknowledging that attorneys for the commissioners and receptionist Dawn Guarino Gedeon had settled a $1 million complaint alleging that Gedeon was the victim of discrimination, defamation, and emotional distress.
