Federal judge issues gag order in Trumbull Commissioner's discrimination case
Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko says that she will honor a federal judge’s gag order placed on a discrimination lawsuit filed against the commission
In responding to a request for comment made by 21 News, Frenchko said she believes the court order should be rescinded.
U.S. District Court Judge Benita Pearson on Monday issued the gag order in the case of Dawn Guarino Gedeon vs. Frenchko, et al.
Gedeon, a receptionist for the commissioners, earlier this month filed the $1 million lawsuit against the commissioners alleging she has been the victim of discrimination, defamation, and emotional distress
Saying in her lawsuit that she is of Italian American heritage, Gedeon accuses Frenchko of repeatedly making derisive comments about Italian Americans, likening Italians to “mafia types and organized crime members”, and allegedly referring to Trumbull County’s Italian American employees as “greasy” and “sausage makers” akin to Michael or Don Corleone from “The Godfather” movie.
Noting that Commissioner Frenchko has been commenting on the case, Judge Pearson has ordered all parties to refrain from making public comment, “either directly or indirectly” about the case.
“The Court is concerned that Defendant Frenchko’s comments and others that may be made by any other party will taint prospective jurors,” stated Judge Pearson in her order. “There is substantial probability that each parties’ right to a fair trial will be prejudiced by further inflammatory publicity the Gag Order is designed to prevent.”
In the court order, Judge Pearson listed the below comments Frenchko is alleged to have made through a third-party source:
The instant action is an “effort to inhibit me from holding them accountable to the taxpayers. This lawsuit, like the others, will fail because I’m simply making people work for the taxpayers again. I will not be deterred by their outlandish claims nor their political stunts.”
“I am very sensitive to language. I’ve had to cut off dealing with certain people because they’ve made comments” that stereotype people.
“My uncle is Honduran and Puerto Rican.”
“I have never made any comments to staff about their ethnic heritage or about anyone’s heritage[.]”
“That so bothers me that anyone would say anything. My family is immigrants ourselves, even the Eastern European half. We came over, and they worked in the coal mines and the steel mills.”
“I don’t make ethnic slurs. It’s disgusting and not who I am, not who I’ve been raised to be.”
The judge cited a story in the Vindicator in which Frenchko responded to allegations of bigotry.
The commissioners have until May 23 to file a written response to Gedeon’s lawsuit.
Commissioner Frenchko emailed the below statement to 21 News late Monday:
“Of course I will honor the Judge's order, but I believe it should be rescinded. I value my first amendment right of free speech and would like to address these matters both as a citizen and public official. The order also applies to proxies, which means the other commissioners, who have solicited complaints against me, will have to stop making public comments as well.”
