Virginia congressional candidate denies ex-prosecutor’s wrongful firing claim

Shannon Taylor says a former employee's retaliation lawsuit is a Republican attempt to discredit her amid a tight U.S. House race.HENRICO, Va. (CN) — A Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney and congressional candidate said on Wednesday that a lawsuit by a former employee claiming a wrongful termination after reporting sexual misconduct was an attempt to smear her name, two weeks before elections in one of the country’s most competitive U.S. House races.Shannon Taylor, a Democrat hoping to unseat Republican U.S. Representative Robert Wittman in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, is named as a defendant in former prosecutor Nicholas Emmons’ Monday lawsuit.“After nearly 20 years in Washington, Congressman Rob Wittman and his allies are so desperate to cling onto power that they are engaging in the kind of gutter politics that Virginians hate,” Taylor’s campaign said in a statement.The campaign pointed out that Avodah Legal, the firm representing Emmons, is led by Wittman supporter and former Republican Delegate Mark Earley Jr.“It stinks to high heaven that a law firm led by a former GOP elected official who has endorsed and campaigned for Wittman is now targeting Shannon. This is just another desperate attempt to smear Shannon — who is endorsed by more than a dozen Virginia sheriffs — because Wittman can’t defend his own record," the campaign said.Wittman’s campaign couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. But Bret Daniel, a partner with Avodah Legal, dismissed the campaign’s comments, saying some of the issues listed in the lawsuit go back to last year.“I think it’s really telling that her first move is to make this about politics because she can’t defend the dysfunction and mismanagement of her office,” Daniel said Wednesday. “It defies common sense. Just look at the timeline laid out in the complaint. These issues started in October and December of last year, where prosecutors in her office spread the most vile lies about my client.”Emmons, who says he was fired Oct. 6, claims he went to Taylor in early September not long after a fellow prosecutor and former romantic partner trapped him in his office for 26 minutes and subjected him to “repeated, unwanted physical and sexual contact.”In his suit filed in Henrico County Circuit Court, Emmons says the other prosecutor had previously shown increasingly erratic and unsettling behavior toward Emmons, including “raging verbal assault and even physically breaking into his home on numerous occasions.”Emmons is suing for a total of $1.6 million and seeks judgment on several counts of retaliation, defamation and common law civil conspiracy. Taylor and two other prosecutors are listed as defendants. Emmons also claims other past employee misconduct in the office.“Rather than take his report seriously — which included allegations of sexual assault, harassment, battery and abduction — the office effectively victim-blamed Emmons, characterizing him as a ‘good-looking frat bro’ who needed to ‘tone it down with the women,’” Emmons writes.Following an investigation, Emmons was told to either resign or be fired, he claims.“Emmons refused to sign a letter of resignation and told Taylor the decision was unfair and retaliatory,” he writes. He also called the investigation biased and claims his firing was due to his past relationship with the co-worker who later sexually harassed him.Emmons goes on to claim that workplace relationships were common in the office.“In fact, it was common knowledge that many prosecutors in Taylor’s office, up to and including the highest levels of leadership, had sex with colleagues and others working in the Henrico County courthouse, including defense attorneys, witnesses and police officers,” he writes.Emmons says the defamation claims stem from false accusations two other prosecutors made about him. He says he was falsely accused of rape and of having sex with an intern at his desk.“These false accusations spread throughout the courthouse and defense bar … damaging Emmons’ standing as a prosecutor,” he claims.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads