LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former legislative aide for Louisville Metro Council District 6 has filed a lawsuit alleging she was sexually harassed by Councilman Phillip Baker, the Democrat who represents the district.
Baker in a statement to Spectrum News 1 said, “I emphatically deny any allegation of such! Since this is now a legal matter I refer all things to my attorney Johnathan Ricketts.”
In the lawsuit, Shalanna Taylor says she was fired as retaliation for taking her sexual harassment complaint to Human Resources. The suit also names Deputy Mayor for Emergency Services David James, who represented District 6 as a Democrat from 2011 to 2022. The suit says Taylor told James about the harassment. Taylor alleges James told Baker to fire her after she told him (James) about Baker’s behavior. Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, is named in the suit as well.
The lawsuit includes charges of creating a hostile work environment and sexual harassment, retaliation for reporting sexual harassment and defamation.
Baker was appointed to represent District 6 on Feb. 2, 2023, after James was named deputy mayor by Greenberg. Taylor alleges the harassment began in her first meeting with Baker on Feb. 4, 2023, when he allegedly made inappropriate remarks about the two of them sleeping together. Later in the meeting, Taylor says Baker put his hand on her thigh at least twice while speaking to her.
The lawsuit says Taylor was “made incredibly uncomfortable at the unwanted touching” and decided she would try to get another position in Metro Government. She told Baker of her intention to find another position in August of that year, after a major concert event in the district concluded.
Taylor alleges Baker responded he did not want her to leave and hoped she would change her mind, which she says made her insecure.
She then reported Baker’s actions to her Human Resources representative.
The lawsuit said in the weeks that followed, Taylor experienced “multiple inappropriate incidents” with Baker, usually involving “unwanted, intimate touchings.”
Taylor says in the lawsuit that she objected to his touching her and told her it made her uncomfortable, to which Taylor alleges Baker began mocking her. The suit says Baker “began to manufacture reasons to ‘accidentally’ touch” Taylor.
The suit says Taylor had three conversations with James in which she revealed the alleged sexual harassment she was experiencing by Baker and her desire to find another position.
On April 18, 2023, Taylor was notified by her Human Resources contact she was being fired. According to the lawsuit, on Sept. 23, 2023, Taylor learned from Michelle James, James’ wife, that he (David James) told Baker of Taylor’s complaint and urged him to fire Taylor before she filed a sexual harassment complaint.
Spectrum News 1 received a statement from David James. He said, “I absolutely deny the allegations in this lawsuit. I had nothing to do with Ms. Taylor’s termination.”
The lawsuit says Taylor filed a formal sexual harassment complaint through Metro Government’s complaint portal in Aug. 2024 and had been contacted by a third-party investigator brought on to investigate her claims. It says she had not been contacted by them since and alleges “Metro does not appear interested in conducting a good faith examination of the allegations.”
Taylor further claims Baker made false statements about her after her dismissal, blaming her for things like his lateness and missed meetings. She alleges he told others she was fired for refusing to do her work.
The lawsuit also claims Taylor “believes that Defendants have frustrated her attempts to obtain work.” It cites a job interview with a nonprofit who said Taylor would be a perfect fit for the job, but she was later turned down after the nonprofit contacted her work references.
According to the lawsuit, Taylor worked for the District 6 office for six years under James and received excellent performance evaluations.
This is the latest lawsuit involving sexual harassment within Metro Government. Spectrum News reached out to Mayor Greenberg's office for comment and his press secretary, Kevin Trager said, “We understand David [James] has denied the allegations. There is pending litigation on this matter, so it would be inappropriate t comment further at this time.”
Spectrum News has also reached out to Metro's Majority Caucus for comment.
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