A former press secretary for California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas sued him Tuesday in Sacramento County Superior Court, alleging she was fired in retaliation after reporting alleged bribery and other misconduct.
In the lawsuit, Cynthia Moreno says she submitted a complaint to the Legislature earlier this year accusing Speaker Rivas and his brother, Rick Rivas, of bribery and other ethical violations. Moreno also says she filed a separate report last year alleging a former staffer engaged in sexual harassment.
Moreno alleges she was retaliated against after she made the reports: she says she was denied a salary increase, was falsely accused of misconduct and then was terminated last month. The lawsuit quotes Moreno as saying, "Speaker Rivas retaliated against Ms. Moreno for reporting illegal, unethical, and harassing conduct. Speaker Rivas did not simply terminate Ms. Moreno’s employment, but used the power of his office to retaliate against her publicly."
The suit seeks a public apology, back pay and benefits, and Moreno's reinstatement to her former position in the Assembly. It was filed in the Superior Court for Sacramento County.
The complaint names Rick Rivas, described in court papers as a political strategist, among those accused in the earlier bribery allegations. According to the lawsuit, a phone call and text message to Rick Rivas seeking comment did not receive a response.
The filing comes as Moreno, who had served as the speaker's press secretary, seeks to challenge the treatment she says followed her reports to legislative authorities. The complaint lays out a sequence: a sexual harassment report filed last year, a separate bribery and ethics complaint submitted earlier this year, and then a series of personnel actions culminating in her dismissal last month.
The lawsuit does not set forth any criminal charges; it seeks civil remedies for the alleged retaliatory employment actions. It asks the court to order remedial relief and to require the Assembly to make Moreno whole for lost compensation and benefits.
Assembly offices and the speaker's official channels were not quoted in the court filing. The lawsuit will likely prompt a response from Rivas's office as the case proceeds through the Sacramento County court system.
The case adds to public scrutiny of conduct and oversight within legislative offices and could prompt further inquiries depending on how the Assembly and the courts respond. Moreno's attorneys filed the complaint seeking to restore her employment and recover damages for what the suit describes as retaliation tied to her reporting of alleged illegal and unethical conduct.