Former Chicago Fire Commish Sues Mayor and Predecessor

Posted by: Curt Varone April 30, 2011 1 Comment

The former Fire Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department has filed suit against Mayor Richard Daley claiming the mayor and his chief of staff forced him to resign over false sexual harassment allegations.

Chief John Brooks resigned on May 7, 2010 amidst allegations that he had sexually harassed a fire department payroll auditor. Brook’s lawsuit claims he was wrongfully forced to retire, and threatened with a termination proceeding that would ruin his reputation if he refused to step down. A subsequent investigation conducted by a former judge hired to review the sexual harassment allegations, found them to be baseless.

Chief Brooks’ suit was filed yesterday, April 29, 2011, in Federal Court against both Mayor Daley and former Fire Commissioner Raymond Orozco, who was the mayor’s chief of staff at the time.

Perhaps you recall the ill advised public remark Chief Brooks made when asked about the allegations when they first surfaced in March of 2010: “I do not proposition women. I don’t have to. Women usually proposition me. God has blessed me like that.”

More on the lawsuit.

More on the resignation from last year.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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