Clark County settlement offer in Robert Telles lawsuit ‘disrespectful,’ plaintiffs say
Four Clark County staffers who sued former Public Administrator Robert Telles over work hostilities and discrimination described a settlement proposed by officials as “disrespectful.”
“We became aware of the disrespectful settlement proposal through news articles” Wednesday, they wrote in a statement.
A day earlier, Clark County commissioners voted to make a $100,000 offer in exchange for the federal lawsuit to be “dismissed from the action in full satisfaction of all claims and damages.”
Telles was convicted of the 2022 murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, who had written stories outlining allegations of malfeasance against the elected official at the office he oversaw.
The staffers were surprised by the settlement offer, which they received Friday, because the county hadn’t discussed it with them before the vote, one of their attorneys, Taylor Jorgensen, said.
If an agreement is reached, Jessica Coleman would receive $30,000, Aleisha Goodwin $50,000, Noraine Pagdanganan $10,000 and Rita Reid $10,000.
County Commissioners would need to vote again on a formal settlement.
Reid was elected to a four-year term as public administrator in 2022. The other three plaintiffs are still with the county.
‘Deflection and inaction’
“The public nature of this apparent settlement offer feels very much like a tactic to undermine and invalidate the discrimination, harassment and bullying we endured while working under Robert Telles,” the statement said. “This offer is a reflection of the County’s culture of deflection and inaction.”
According to the lawsuit filed last year, Telles isolated employees, engaged in age discrimination against Reid and retaliated against other employees when they filed complaints or declined alleged sexual advances from Telles.
“Telles’ behaviors extended and intensified over a period of three years, during which he intentionally, and constantly, intimidated, influenced, embarrassed, humiliated, degraded and isolated the Plaintiffs,” the complaint said.
Telles, a Democrat, won the seat in 2018. He ran for re-election in 2022 but came in last place in a three-way primary.
Telles ambushed and killed German outside the reporter’s home that September, prosecutors said. He was convicted of first-degree murder at trial and sentenced to 28 years to life in prison.
Records show that the lawsuit is ongoing. The parties recently agreed to extend the discovery period timeline to the fall.
County officials declined to comment on the settlement offer or the plaintiffs’ response, citing pending litigation.
Asked if the plaintiffs were considering the offer, Jorgensen referred to the statement.
“The County failed to protect us when we reported these problems to them resulting in a hostile work environment and life-altering trauma, and what happened is again being minimized,” the plaintiffs wrote.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.