Oakland, CA — The County of Alameda recently made a business decision to settle a frivolous lawsuit brought by Ms. Patti Lee. Ms. Lee’s allegations of racism and retaliation against the Alameda County District Attorney’s office were completely unfounded. While I participated in a part of the settlement process, her case against me personally was dismissed and I am not part of the settlement. I do not believe that any payment to Ms. Lee or her attorneys was warranted. The decision was not mine, however.

My record of 30+ years of fighting for civil rights and working people in Alameda County stands against Ms. Lee’s claims. I have been fighting for racial equity my entire life. I wrote the Rutter Guide on Workplace Harassment in 2006. I have litigated and won multiple First Amendment retaliation cases, including a United States Supreme Court petition.

Ms. Lee did not have any evidence to support her claims of racial animus or retaliation. Her attorneys did not take a single deposition of the inspectors and my closest support staff who worked with me every day. The depositions that were given by Ms. Lee’s supervisors did not support her claims in any way. Her aggressive litigation tactics, however, created a risk of attorneys’ fees that the County was not willing to bear.

I am disappointed that the County chose not to defend the case through trial, but I hope whatever monies Ms. Lee receives from this settlement will help her to obtain the mental health services and support she needs.