LOS ANGELES (KNX) — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge said Tuesday he was taking under submission three claims against Inglewood Mayor James Butts Jr. brought by his former girlfriend and executive assistant.
In her lawsuit, Melanie McDade-Dickens alleged she was wrongfully terminated in 2019 and that the mayor acted “every bit like a Black Donald Trump.” She brought her suit in January 2021.
McDade-Dickens alleged claims for sexual harassment, failure to investigate and prevent sexual harassment, and retaliation. She was given 30 days to provide sufficient facts supporting the three claims in an amended complaint.
According to the lawsuit, McDade-Dickens described the mayor’s conduct as “disturbing actions of a scorned lover, who also happens to be the mayor of a burgeoning metropolis.” She said Butts “use[d] his superior power and influence” to “seduce a trusted city employee, Melanie McDade-Dickens, to become romantically involved with him.”
The former assistant said after she ended the relationship, which she described as ultimately consensual, Butts acted “every bit like a Black Donald Trump, targeting those who dare rebuke him,” and that he conspired with a city H.R. director by the name of Jose Cortes and City Manager Artie fields to destroy her career.
The pair met in 2010 when McDade-Dickens volunteered to work on his mayoral campaign, according to the suit. He initially asked her to serve as his office manager, but eventually promoted her to his strategy committee. After he was elected to office, he invited McDade-Dickens to work as his executive assistant.
"In the beginning Butts is nurturing, loving and supportive, both personally and professionally," according to the suit. But the relationship soured, devolving "into one of abuse, abuse of power and sexual harassment," McDade-Dickens alleged.
Butts’ attorney contended in a hearing on Tuesday that McDade-Dickens had her chance to produce facts supporting her claims, and that an amended complaint would not illuminate anything of substance.
“They just make new sham allegations right and left,” defense attorney Mira Hashmall said. She described the initial suit as “full of salacious fabrications” and “a tactic designed to draw away from Ms. McDade’s wrongdoing by smearing others.”
The city reportedly fired McDade-Dickens after allegations of fraud and unspecified criminal behavior surfaced, according to Hashmall.
She argued McDade-Dickens had also exceeded a statute of limitations, claiming she only had one year from July 2019 — when she first received a right-to-sue notice from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing — to pursue a lawsuit.
McDade-Dickens’ lawyer contended she had three years to bring the case on the basis of a new state law that went into effect in 2020.
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