SAN DIEGO — Former San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher has filed new motions in court to ask a judge to remove significant portions from the ongoing lawsuit against him, including the allegations of sexual assault and harassment at the center of the case.
The new motions filed by Fletcher’s attorney last Friday reiterate his claims that the encounters between him and a former MTS employee, Grecia Figueroa, were “consensual” and that the lawsuit is not a “credible” recounting of these interactions.
He also maintains that he had no control over Figueroa’s employment with the transit agency and that her job “required very little, if any, direct interaction” with Fletcher.
The motions ask the court to remove the allegations from the Figueroa’s complaint that detail two instances of sexual assault by the former supervisor, as well as accusations that her job was abruptly terminated by MTS as a result of the incidents.
“… the evidence will ultimately reveal that Plaintiff actively pursued Mr. Fletcher for over a year,” the motions add. “She repeatedly complimented his appearance. She gave him gifts. She initiated physical contact. She requested that he wear certain clothing and accessories. She asked to celebrate special events with him privately. And she flirted with him without solicitation.”
Fletcher’s attorneys are also asking a judge to strike references to Lorena Gonzalez, Fletcher’s wife, from the complaint, arguing that they were improper as she is not a named defendant and were only there to “cause her embarrassment.”
In a statement to FOX 5, Figueroa’s attorneys refer to Fletcher’s filings as an attempt to “politicize the litigation process, wasting time and resources by deploying distractions to the media rather than taking accountability.”
“This is, unfortunately, an all-too-familiar experience for survivors of sexual harassment and assault. We are undeterred by Mr. Fletcher’s attempts to re-write history, and we are confident the truth will prevail,” the statement continues.
According to court filings, a hearing on Fletcher’s motions to strike is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2024. The next hearing relating to discovery in the case is scheduled for Oct. 27.
Fletcher’s filings can be found below.
“Memorandum of Points and Authorities” for Fletcher’s motion to strike:
Fletcher’s “Notice of Motion and Motion to Strike Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint”:
