Latest news with #ClevelandHeights
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed against Cleveland Heights and mayor's wife: I-Team
[WATCH: Previous coverage, in the video player above, from the FOX 8 I-team.] CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) -– A former Cleveland Heights employee is suing the City of Cleveland Heights and the mayor's wife. Atty. Sean Sobel, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Patrick Costigan, who worked as a special assistant to Mayor Kahlil Seren. The lawsuit was filed Friday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Costigan states in the suit that the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel, who is not a city employee, was acting as his supervisor and made antisemitic remarks. VIDEO: Shootout with police near University of Akron 'Seren has publicly referred to McDaniel as the 'First Lady' of Cleveland Heights, and acknowledged that she acts as his counsel and advisor,' the lawsuit states. 'McDaniel has been personally involved in official Cleveland Heights business, including sitting in on numerous committee meetings and job interviews for Cleveland Heights employees and consultants. Costigan was specifically ordered by Mayor Seren to follow all directives given to him by McDaniel as if they were coming directly from the Mayor. ' The FOX 8 I-Team reached out to Cleveland Heights officials to discuss the lawsuit but have not yet heard back. 'Costigan identifies as an ethnic Jew,' the suit states. 'Costigan, on multiple occasions, discussed his Jewish heritage with McDaniel, and she was fully aware that he identified as an ethnic Jew. McDaniel subjected Costigan to countless anti-Semitic remarks, orally and in writing, directed at Cleveland Heights elected officials, employees, and even a resident. McDaniel made a comment to Costigan, while using what can be described as a stereotypical New York Jewish accent, that 'black people don't grow up with generational wealth and things like a Jewish accountant,' when discussing new state legislation that would charge interested parties for police body camera footage. McDaniel made numerous comments about City Council's desire to recruit a 'Jewish candidate' to fill an open council seat, and also referred to now-council member Jim Posch multiple times as the 'Jewish candidate' the majority of council wanted.' Alcohol factor in early morning shooting: Police The mayor has denied the allegations and has said his wife's remarks were taken out of context and some were altered. The mayor also alleged that Costigan made the allegations after he refused an offer from Costigan to settle prior to a lawsuit being filed. 'The frequency and severity of these anti-Semitic and homophobic comments created a hostile work environment for Costigan and gave him no choice but to seek medical leave from the City,' the suit further states. 'On February 5, 2025, Costigan corresponded with Dan Horrigan, who was the City Administrator at the time, and cited a personal matter with McDaniel as contributing to his health issues and necessitating medical leave. After the City did nothing to follow up with the issues that Costigan referenced with McDaniel, the City terminated Costigan's employment on March 13, 2025.' Costigan has also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. 'Not only did McDaniel make anti-Semitic statements to Costigan, but she also subjected him to grossly derogatory comments towards the LGBTQ community, of which Costigan is a member,' the suit further stated. School board votes to suspend Ohio high school Costigan is asking a judge to order the city make several changes including to 'institute policies to safeguard against further discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, gender, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or identity, age, or any other protected class' and to 'certify that non-employees are not permitted to conduct official city business or be given unsupervised access to areas of Cleveland Heights City Hall that are reserved only for Cleveland Heights employees or elected officials.' Security video obtained by the I-Team through a public records request shows Mayor Kahlil Seren enter the Cleveland Heights Law Department office early in the morning on Thursday, April 3, for about four minutes. Then, also in the afternoon on Saturday, April 5, you see the mayor go in for about two minutes. City hall was closed both times. The mayor appeared to let himself into the office both times, even though he had said during an April 2 Cleveland Heights Council meeting that he does not have access to get inside the Law Department. James Bates, a Cleveland Heights resident, said he wants to know why the Mayor went inside the Law Department when the office was closed. He added that he believes, due to all the recent issues, the mayor should resign. The I-Team also asked for the body camera video of an interaction the Mayor's wife had with Cleveland Heights police officers inside City Hall on December 6. The Law Department has declined to release the video. Meanwhile, some city residents have started taking steps to recall the mayor. About a dozen residents started circulating a petition and collecting signatures. Seren, who is up for reelection in the fall, has pulled petitions to run for reelection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cleveland Heights mayor speaks out amid accusations against wife
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) – Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren is speaking out after accusations against his wife have led some residents to call for his resignation. An EEOC complaint filed with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission last week accused the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel, of sending anti-Semitic text messages that targeted Jewish colleagues and residents in the community. In a 15-minute video posted to Facebook on Wednesday night, Seren called the recent allegations 'false.' 'One area where my wife and I are in very clear alignment is in our shared belief that anti-Jewish hatred and antisemitism, as described in the IHRA definition, has no place in our community or any other,' Seren said. 'Going further, we believe that antisemitism, anti-blackness, white supremacy, islamophobia, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia, along with ethnic and religious bigotry, are part of the same enemy that we all have a responsibility to fight both within ourselves and the world.' Residents calling for city to shut down Garfield Heights bar Seren stated that, before the accusations were made, his administration received a threat from a former employee, 'that they would file a lawsuit unless we agreed to their demand of $300,000 and a job reference. In exchange, they offered to abandon the lawsuit and instead sign a mutual non-disparagement and confidentiality agreement.' The mayor said he turned down that offer. Because it's a legal claim against the city of Cleveland Heights, the mayor said he cannot fully reveal details about the city's response to the complaint. 'But there are some things I feel the need to address now,' he said. 'I want to assure you that the claims made in this complaint are false and the city will be taking all steps to defend that position.' 'That's crazy': Struggling CMSD sent kids to Disney World, I-Team learns Seren went on to address some of the specific accusations made in the complaint, as seen in the full video above. The mayor also said he and his wife have been targeted by threats. 'My wife has received threatening texts and calls. Our police had to pay a visit to a man who threatened to come to our home on Monday while I was gone,' he said. 'Some of you may not care that we're dealing with abuse, harassment and now threat as a result of an unproven accusation, but I hope that enough of you can see a path toward empathy and understanding to allow us to move forward together.' Dozens of protesters spoke out before the city council meeting Monday night, calling for Seren to resign, as FOX 8 previously reported. Cleveland Heights will have its second-ever mayoral election in November. It's unclear at this time if Seren will seek reelection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
