Mediation of sexual harassment claims against state lawmakers delayed until June 22

FRANKFORT — Mediation of claims involving sexual harassment, retaliation and other misconduct against state lawmakers has been postponed until June 22.

A closed mediation session was scheduled to begin Tuesday but was postponed for a few weeks while one of the attorneys involved recuperates from an accident.

The mediation will address two cases.

One involves sexual harassment claims by legislative staffers Yolanda Costner and Cassaundra Cooper against former state Rep. John Arnold, D-Sturgis. Arnold has denied any wrongdoing.

The two women also sued the Legislative Research Commission, and earlier this year added Rep. Johnny Bell, D-Glasgow, as a defendant after Bell fired Costner from her job in the House majority whip's office soon after he was elected whip.

The second case involves allegations by legislative staffer Nicole Cusic that she was moved to an inferior job after she complained that Rep. Will Coursey, D-Symsonia, had sexually harassed female legislative staffers.

Coursey has denied the charge and sued Cusic for defamation. Cusic also listed the LRC and former LRC director Bobby Sherman as defendants in her case.

This story was originally published May 26, 2015 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Mediation of sexual harassment claims against state lawmakers delayed until June 22."