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The plaintiffs also accuse Mr. Adams of discrimination, harassment, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her lawsuit names the NYPD Transit Bureau and the NYPD Guardians Association advocacy group as defendants, accusing them of negligence and gender discrimination.
New York City Corporate Counsel Sylvia Hines Radix said in a statement that Adams “categorically denies these outrageous allegations and the events described herein.” Hines-Radix added that at the time of the incident, Adams had no influence over promotions.
When Adams was subpoenaed in November, she denied knowing the plaintiffs. She knew him from her work and leadership at the Guardians, according to the lawsuit filed Monday.
The Washington Post typically does not identify victims of sexual assault allegations.
Megan Goddard, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement Monday that her client “knew that filing this lawsuit would cause significant personal hardship, but he filed the lawsuit anyway.”
“Her fearlessness and pursuit of justice are both important and inspirational,” Goddard said.
The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which gives accusers one year to bring charges against their alleged attackers, regardless of when the alleged violation occurred.
Mr. Adams has not been charged with any crime in connection with the incident.
Before being elected mayor in 2021, Adams served as the borough president of Brooklyn and worked as a police officer in the city for more than 20 years. His campaign focused on crime and public safety, including calling for more police on the city’s streets.
At the time of the incident 30 years ago, Adams was a police officer with the New York Transit Police Department, now known as the NYPD Transit Bureau, and the plaintiff also worked there, according to the suit. Adams also held a high-ranking position in the Guardians Association, a group that advocates for black NYPD officers, the documents said.
The plaintiff, a black woman, was hired by the transit agency in 1980 and worked for a senior position for years before being removed from the position “due to the discriminatory nature” of the agency at the time, the suit states. She added that female employees who worked there, who are black, were “subjected to sexual harassment and unequal treatment.”
The NYPD and the Parent Teacher Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday night.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff passed an exam to qualify for promotion in 1992, but was not accepted. She tried to talk to someone in the transportation department’s human resources office about it to no avail, according to the complaint.
She then met with Adams and asked if he could help her get a promotion, according to the complaint.
Adams allegedly said he could help and offered to give the complainant a ride home that night for a discussion.
Instead, he drove into a vacant lot and parked the car, the complaint alleges. He added that the complainant was “nervous and scared” but that “he tried to convince himself” that Adams would help him. Adams then asked her what she needed help with, according to the complaint.
After the plaintiff explained her situation, the lawsuit alleges that Adams demanded sexual favors from her, but she repeatedly refused and placed his hands on her genitals. The plaintiff was then “forced to witness the masturbation,” the complaint alleges. She was then dropped off at a subway station.
The complaint states that the plaintiff did not formally report the incident because she was “extremely fearful of further retaliation” from Adams and the NYPD.
The lawsuit asks the plaintiffs to pay compensatory and punitive damages to be determined by a jury.
The first court summons was filed in November, two days before the deadline under the Adult Survivors Act. The law, signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) in November 2022, gave whistleblowers one year to sue, regardless of when the statute of limitations expired.
Mariana Alfaro contributed to this report.
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