Hoover sues woman he allegedly harassed, claiming she violated settlement agreement

Former House Speaker Jeff Hoover and two other men filed a lawsuit Thursday in Fayette Circuit Court against a former legislative staffer with whom they reached a paid settlement over allegations of sexual harassment.

The men claim the woman “blatantly breached that agreement and entered into it without any intention of abiding by it.” They’re seeking repayment of the $110,000 they paid in 2017, plus interest.

The suit was filed by Hoover, a Jamestown attorney who remains in the state House as a Republican representative; state Rep. Michel Meredith, R-Oakland; and former state Rep. Jim DeCesare, R-Campbellsville. Former state Rep. Brian Linder, R-Dry Ridge, was also involved in the settlement but is not part of the lawsuit. DeCesare and Linder did not seek re-election last year.

The lawsuit names the former staffer, who resigned her job in the House Republican Leadership office, but the Herald-Leader does not generally name alleged victims of sexual harassment.

The staffer’s attorney, Gail Langendorf of Florence, said her client did not violate the settlement’s confidentiality clause and will file a motion to dismiss the complaint.

The suit was filed in Fayette Circuit Court because that is where the agreed settlement was negotiated.

The suit contends the staffer was “communicating with third-parties providing details of the settlement negotiations, the settlement and the settlement amount” even before it was finalized on Oct. 25, 2017.

It said the staffer talked about the settlement to her supervisor, Daisy Olivo, and then-House clerk Brad Metcalf. Both Olivo and Metcalf were fired and have filed whistleblower lawsuits against the state. They claim they were retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment in the legislature.

Hoover has acknowledged exchanging inappropriate texts with the staffer but has denied any sexual contact.

In a deposition that the former staffer gave in lawsuits filed by Olivo and Metcalf, she reportedly claimed that Hoover also sexually assaulted her and Meredith made a vulgar statement to her.

The deposition remains sealed in Franklin Circuit Court, but the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting obtained a copy of the deposition and reported on its contents on Jan. 15.

The former staffer asked the Kentucky Court of Appeals on Jan. 23 to prohibit the enforcement of an order by Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd compelling her to submit to a deposition for cross-examination by the legislators.

This story was originally published January 31, 2019 at 11:50 AM.