RICHMOND, Va. -- A self-proclaimed whistleblower filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the City of Richmond in which she claimed discrimination and retaliation. Connie Clay alleged Richmond City Hall routinely violated the rules regarding how various departments should respond to Freedom of Information Act requests, something mandated by state code.
Clay filed her complaint Friday in Richmond Circuit Court.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLAINT
Until recently, Clay served as FOIA Officer and Public Information Manager for the City. She started the job last summer.
Clay was fired in January, according to the lawsuit.
Clay alleged the termination was "in retaliation for reporting and refusing to engage in illegal and unethical activities in violation of FOIA."
The complaint pointed to several specific examples, including internal resistance, Clay said she encountered while trying to produce FOIA documents regarding Richmond's meals tax.
As CBS 6 reported earlier this week, the City is regularly not meeting required FOIA deadlines and sometimes ignores legitimate requests altogether.
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The City of Richmond is not complying with government transparency laws
In her complaint, Clay alleged that her former supervisor Petula Burks, the director of the Office of Strategic Communications and Civic Engagement for the City, once instructed her to wait until the day that a FOIA response was due, and then "invoke an extension of seven working days regardless of whether the City could timely produce the required information."
Richmond City Attorney Laura Drewry said the city will "defend the lawsuit in court" and called Clay's claims "baseless."
CBS 6 investigative reporter Tyler Layne is in communication with Clay, and we'll have more information on this developing story in the coming days.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
