Former Denver elections worker's lawsuit says she was fired for speaking out about threats

A erstwhile Denver elections worker has revenge a national lawsuit, alleging she was fired for speaking retired connected TV astir her information concerns

DENVER -- A erstwhile Denver elections worker who says she was fired for speaking retired astir her information concerns connected comedian Jon Stewart's show revenge a national suit Monday, alleging predetermination officials wanted to soundlessness her and violated her First Amendment rights.

Virginia Chau, a lawyer who worked arsenic a polling halfway supervisor during elections, said successful 2022 astir threats made against predetermination workers and nan deficiency of training for them during a sheet chat connected nan short-lived streaming show “The Problem pinch Jon Stewart.”

Nationally, predetermination officials have accrued security successful nan lead-up to Election Day some to protect their workers and to protect voting procedures and ballots. Election offices and workers person been nan target of harassment and threats since nan 2020 statesmanlike election, chiefly by group supporting erstwhile President Donald Trump’s lies that nan predetermination was stolen from him because of fraud.

According to Chau's lawsuit, nan Denver elections section head R. Todd Davidson told her she was being removed arsenic a supervisor because of her comments connected nan show and said she could beryllium a hotline typical alternatively because nary 1 from nan nationalist would admit her successful that job. The move would person been a demotion, nan suit said, and Chau refused to judge nan caller position.

The suit alleges that Denver clerk and recorder Paul Lopez did not respond to Chau's petition to reconsider her termination.

“Instead of heeding Ms. Chau’s telephone for much resources and training for predetermination officials facing threats to their individual safety, Defendants decided alternatively to retaliate against 1 of their best, and astir passionate, predetermination workers,” nan suit says.

The suit was revenge against nan city, its elections head and clerk and recorder. It asks for Chau to beryllium reinstated and for unspecified damages.

A spokesperson for Lopez's office, Mikayla Ortega, and a typical of nan metropolis attorney's office, Melissa Sisneros, said their offices do not remark connected pending litigation.