- A
Chicago police officer is suing Former Chicago Police Department SuperintendentEddie Johnson for allegations of "sexual advance, abuse, harassment, and a hostile work environment." - According to the
lawsuit , the police offer Cynthia Donald was assigned to Johnson's security detail in 2016 and then six months later as his personal driver. - Last year, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot fired Johnson citing "ethical lapses and flawed decision-making."
Cynthia Donald, a 14-year veteran of the Chicago police force, filed a lawsuit against former Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson on Wednesday alleging that she was subjected to "sexual advance, abuse, harassment, and a hostile work environment" for more than three years.
According to the lawsuit, which was published by The Chicago Tribune, Johnson, who was then the highest authority of the Chicago Police, "used his position of power and authority" to pressure Donald into sexual activity.
Johnson coerced Donald by "conditioning her employment and advancements" on her submission to the undesired sexual activity, "promising her promotions," and "berating" Donald when she resisted, according to the lawsuit. Donald, according to the lawsuit, was assigned to his security detail in 2016 and then six months later was made Johnson's personal driver.
Johnson's attorney, Tom Needham, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The Chicago Tribune reported that Johnson's attorney "adamantly" denies allegations of sexual misconduct.
A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
Donald's lawsuit alleges that even though the City of Chicago "learned of various details relating to" Johnson and Donald due to the "highly publicized incident" last year, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the city of Chicago, and the police department never "formally interviewed or informally spoke with the Plaintiff" and "exacerbated the hostile work environment by ordering Superintendent Johnson to 'dump'" Donald by relocating her away from the CPD headquarters.
Lightfoot fired Johnson last October following an internal investigation into Johnson's conduct after he was found asleep at a stop sign in an SUV. Lightfoot stated at the time that Johnson had "intentionally lied" to her about the night of the incident and "engaged in conduct that is not only unbecoming, but demonstrated a series of ethical lapses and flawed decision-making." Lightfoot did not disclose the specific details of his conduct, because she believed it was not "appropriate or fair to Mr. Johnson's wife or children to do so at this time."
Johnson, at the time, denied that he "intentionally" misled or deceived Lightfoot and claimed he made a "poor decision and had a lapse of judgment."
Speaking at Thursday's press conference, Donald doubled down on her allegation that "Mayor Lori Lightfoot had an opportunity to investigate and uncover Eddie Johnson's abusive conduct toward me, she instead ordered Eddie to dump me by demoting me to a desk job," according to CNN.
A spokesperson for the city's Department of Law told Insider in a statement that it couldn't comment on the specific allegations but noted that if they were true they would be "inexcusable."
"Mayor Lightfoot emphatically denies, and common sense dictates, that Eddie Johnson ever told the Mayor about allegations of abuse or harassment of Cynthia Donald by Eddie Johnson," the statement continued. "Ms. Donald's lawyers never claimed otherwise."
- Read more:
- The fired Chicago police superintendent says he made a 'poor decision' on the night he was found asleep at a stop sign with his SUV running
- Chicago's mayor fired the city's police chief for 'intolerable actions' after a mysterious series of events, saying it wouldn't be 'fair' to his 'wife or children' to describe what he did
- Southwest Airlines is adding 9 new leisure routes and expanding to major airports in Chicago and Houston – here's the full list
- A woman went into labor while taking the bar exam, and she finished it in the hospital after giving birth