Legal News

Special Agent Retaliated Against After Witnessing and Reporting Harassment

By (Breaking Legal News)

It?s yet another of case of discrimination within the United States Capitol Police (USCP).  This time, the victim is a female Special Agent assigned to protect one the nation?s most powerful politicians. Special Agent Luanne Moran, who was assigned to the USCP?s Dignitary Protection Division (DPD) for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has filed a sex discrimination and retaliation complaint that is now pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Moran v. U.S. Capitol Police.  Special Agent Moran?s complaint is based on discrimination and retaliation that she has suffered since 2008 for opposing sexual harassment by a male Capitol Police supervisor, specifically sexist and degrading comments he made toward other female agents.  

Special Agent Moran has worked for USCP for 15 years without a single blemish on her record.  It wasn?t until she opposed the alleged sexual harassment that the USCP began to make retaliatory and inaccurate misconduct allegations against her, which were aimed at tarnishing her reputation and removing her from the Capitol Police force. Since she filed her complaint, she has been on paid administrative leave pending USCP?s decision whether to fire her. 

This isn?t the first time the USCP has been embroiled in this type of claim.  The agency has a long and infamous history of employment discrimination complaints that that date back decades.  The most notable case involved more than 200 African American members of Capitol Police who filed a class action suit in 2001 that accused the agency of widespread harassment, retaliation and even vandalism.

In fact, Special Agent Moran had to file a previous discrimination complaint in 2007, which sought her assignment to the Speaker?s Protection Detail, in an effort to break through the glass ceiling for female agents at USCP.  That complaint was settled in a satisfactory manner, but has contributed to the discrimination and retaliation she has faced at the USCP since then.  ?This time, maybe Speaker Pelosi will step in and do the right thing to protect Luanne Moran, a dedicated female Agent who puts her life on the line to protect the Speaker every day she comes to work,? says Agent Moran?s attorney, John P. Mahoney, Esq., a Partner and the Head of the Labor & Employment Law Practice Area at the Law Firm of Tully Rinckey, PLLC in Washington, D.C.  

The United States District Court Complaint in Agent Moran?s current case is captioned as Moran v. Capitol Police Bd., Civil Action No. 09-1819 (RMC) (DDC 2010).

For more information about the case, or to speak with Special Agent Moran and/or her attorney, John P. Mahoney, please contact Ali Skinner at (202) 787-1900 or at askinner@1888law4life.com.

Full post as published by Breaking Legal News on October 18, 2010 (boomark / email).