$1.5M lawsuit accuses California DA of racism against Asian Americans

Patti Lee, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s former spokesperson, filed a legal claim on Monday, accusing Price of “constantly and openly” making derogatory comments against Asian Americans.

The lawsuit: Lee is seeking a $1.5 million settlement for emotional distress stemming from discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination and failure to pay wages. Lee alleges that Price fostered a culture of anti-Asian bias in the workplace that promoted racist views and hindered transparency with journalists.

Lee’s claims: Lee, who worked with Price’s administration for about six months in 2023, claims that Price openly referred to her enemies as “the media and the Asians.” Lee portrays herself as a whistleblower, exposing abuses of open records laws after Price barred The Berkeley Scanner reporter Emilie Raguso from a press conference on Nov. 29. She also accuses Price’s staff of attempting to flout public records laws and hide, delete or change records in response to media inquiries.

Price fires Lee: Lee specifically accuses Haaziq Madyun, the office’s communications director and a former TV news reporter, of not being forthcoming with documents and potentially deleting or altering records required to be released under state law. As Lee voiced her concerns to colleagues, she was reportedly handed a termination notice and given eight minutes to clear out her desk on Dec. 12. Lee’s law firm says this swift action was a “textbook case of retaliation,” with no reason provided for her firing.

“The real reason for Ms. Lee’s termination will be plainly evident and intuitive to any jury,” the firm wrote. “We are confident will find that Ms. Lee was terminated as a result of racial discrimination against her protected status as an Asian American and whistleblower retaliation.”

No response from Price: The legal action comes amid a recall effort against Price, who became the county’s first Black woman to hold the position of…

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