A top lawyer for the state of California has accused Gavin Newsom’s office of interfering with the sexual harassment case against Activision Blizzard.
Melanie Proctor, the assistant chief counsel for California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, quit in protest of the meddling, and subsequent firing of her boss at the agency, Chief Counsel Janette Wipper.
Proctor sent an all-staff email alleging that Newsom and his office “began to interfere” with the Activision suit.
“The Office of the Governor repeatedly demanded advance notice of litigation strategy and of next steps in the litigation,” Proctor wrote.
“As we continued to win in state court, this interference increased, mimicking the interests of Activision’s counsel.”
She then signed off the email by quitting “in protest of the interference and Janette’s termination.”
Janette Wipper is “evaluating all avenues of legal recourse including a claim under the California Whistleblower Protection Act,” according to her spokesperson.
A communications director for Newsom insists “claims of interference by our office are categorically false and the governor’s office will continue to support DFEH in their efforts to fight all forms of discrimination and protect Californians.”
