CHICAGO - A Peoria-based worker for the J.B. Pritzker campaign is among ten current and former staffers suing Democratic Illinois governor candidate’s campaign.
The African-American and Latino staffers allege in the lawsuit filed Tuesday they were harassed and discriminated against because of their race. Kasmine Calhoun, an African-American field organizer assigned to the Peoria office, is listed as a plaintiff in the suit.
The plaintiffs claim that they were forced to work in unsafe areas and offered no meaningful advancement opportunities. The billionaire businessman's campaign said Wednesday the lawsuit was filed after they rejected a settlement offer to pay $7.5 million in damages.
Pritzker says the claims are not true.
Running mate Juliana Stratton, who's African-American, said the campaign is not afraid to litigate the suit to the fullest extent of the law.
The campaign released part of an Oct. 5 settlement offer from the workers' attorney. It asks for $7.5 million, among other requests, and gives the campaign until Oct. 8 to accept or "our clients will pursue all available legal remedies."
