SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A political fight continues to ramp up at Sacramento City Hall as a councilmember’s new hire is taking legal action against the city after it filed a restraining order.
This political fight has been brewing all week, and now, for the first time, we’re hearing from the person at the center of the controversy – Skyler Henry, a new hire in Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela’s office.
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This all started with comments Henry made in a podcast, seeming to condone acts of vandalism last year at the homes of several city leaders.
The city attorney filed for a temporary restraining order this week to keep henry 100 feet away from city hall, but it was denied. Henry is now filing a countersuit – seeking damages from the city after what he says is the city’s attempt to suppress his right to free speech.
Henry says that although the temporary restraining order was denied – he’s taking those concerns seriously.
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“My number one priority coming into this job is to work as hard as I need to work on mending fences with folks who disagree with me. That includes councilmembers, that includes the mayor, that includes the city manager,” Henry said in a Friday news conference announcing the countersuit.
Henry maintains that the attempted restraining order was less about him and more of a political attack against Valenzuela.
Now, the city attorney released a statement Friday reading:
“We understand Mr. Michel-Evleth and his attorneys just filed a motion seeking to stop the City from protecting its employees. Whatever it may say, this case is about one thing only: Should employees be forced to share a workspace with another employee who has openly advocated the use of terrorizing tactics against them? The City as an employer has a legal obligation to do everything in its power to ensure that all of its employees are safe and secure in the workplace and will continue its efforts to honor that duty.”
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Meanwhile, while the temporary restraining order against Henry was denied, a hearing on the request is still set for next month.
