Woman says Filner locked her in kitchen

A woman who worked as an executive assistant to former Mayor Bob Filner has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the city claiming she was subjected to months of lewd comments, blunt propositions, gropes and headlocks from her boss.

The suit was filed last week by Benelia Santos-Hunter, who worked for Filner from January to August 2013 before taking medical disability leave. Her lawsuit alleges months of harassing conduct by Filner.

Santos-Hunter filed a claim against the city in November, almost three months after Filner resigned as mayor under a siege of complaints from women that he had harassed, groped and mistreated them both during his tenure at City Hall and previously.

Part of his resignation deal requires the city to defend him in lawsuits filed by current or former city employees, volunteers or contractors. While obligating the city to provide a joint defense with Filner, it also gives the city the right to seek reimbursement from Filner for any money damages awarded as part of a sexual harassment suit.

The city has already settled one lawsuit from former communications Director Irene McCormack Jackson for $250,000. She was the first of what eventually became about 20 women to come forward and complain about Filner’s conduct with them.

A spokesman for City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said the city has been aware of the claim for some time, and declined to comment further. Three other suits alleging sexual harassment against Filner from other women remain.

Santos-Hunter’s suit describes more than two dozen incidents starting within weeks after she joined the mayor’s staff, listed by specific dates. For example, she alleges:

• On March 4, 2013 Filner said to her, “Let’s go in the back and make love right now.”

• On March 26, he grabbed her hand and tried to place it on his genitals.

• On May 6, Filner locked her in his office kitchen and asked her to make love to him.

• On May 20, he said to her, “Let’s have sex on the conference table.”

The suit details numerous instances where Filner allegedly grabbed her buttocks, kissed her, and asked to see her breasts.

Joshua Gruenberg, the lawyer for the woman, said that the suit gives specific dates because Santos-Hunter’s job required her to keep a calendar.

“She started to begin using her calendar to keep track of the things the mayor was saying and doing to her,” he said.

The suit also said that in July 2013 Filner yelled at her that if she did not book arrangements for an official trip to China she would be out of a job.

Later that day Santos-Hunter said she went to Scott Chadwick, then the city’s assistant chief operating officer, to complaint about the outburst. The suit said Chadwick responded that it wasn’t illegal to be a domineering boss.

“He blew her off,” Gruenberg said. “The city made no effort to reprimand or discipline him.”

The suit does not say how much money Santos-Hunter is seeking. The claim she filed that the city rejected sought $1.5 million.

Santos-Hunter is on unpaid leave from the city, Gruenberg said.

On Wednesday Filner gave a deposition in the lawsuit filed by Stacy McKenzie, a former parks department worker who claims Filner grabbed her from behind rubbed her breasts and buttocks at a parks event.

Her attorney, Dan Gilleon, said Filner generally testified he didn’t recall the incident with McKenzie.