Lawsuit filed against Wayne County sheriff alleges sexual harassment stretching back decades
(CBS DETROIT) — Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington has been accused of sexual harassment, in a lawsuit filed this week on behalf of a former employee.
The lawsuit outlines a history of alleged "sex harassment, discrimination, and retaliation" against a woman who served as compliance officer and community outreach director from 2019 to 2024. In the suit, the woman claims that "immediately upon assuming the role of Sheriff ... Washington began sexually harassing" her, "along with several other female employees."
Washington was appointed to the role of sheriff at the beginning of 2021, and won a special election to serve in the role in 2022 and in a general election last year.
The suit says the former employee was subjected to repeated "lewd and sexual comments" about her body. She claims in the suit that in one case, Washington told her that he "didn't know she had all that back there." According to the suit, he also allegedly told her she would look more attractive if she gained some weight.
Furthermore, the suit claims that four other women say Washington sexually harassed them, or exercised some form of misconduct, stretching back to 2002.
In a statement, attorney Deborah Gordon said the sheriff's "actions are outrageous and illegal. In addition to be (sic) subjected to overt sexual harassment, my client was abruptly fired, with no reason given, in retaliation for refusing to remain quiet."
The lawsuit lists Wayne County as co-defendant.
The sheriff's office's communications director, Mara MacDonald, responded to the lawsuit saying, "In what is a typical legal stunt, this lawsuit was apparently filed at the end of business today. We have not been served nor had the opportunity for a legal review. When that review is complete, there will be plenty to say."
