Now-former Port Clinton Fire Chief Kent Johnson—fired on January 18, 2024

Port Clinton, OH — City of Port Clinton, Ohio Fire Chief Kent Johnson was fired on January 18, 2024, after a city-ordered investigation into firefighter and EMT Rebekah Huskey’s claims of sexual harassment.

“Kent Johnson engaged in sexual harassment of subordinate, Rebekah Huskey, when he sent unwelcome or offensive written communication of sexually suggestive material,” the order of Johnson’s removal read.

Johnson’s firing came after he was accused in a federal civil-rights lawsuit [UPDATED 5/30/24] of repeatedly sexually harassing and assaulting Ms. Huskey. In her lawsuit, Ms. Huskey specifically accused Johnson, among other things, of groping her, hinting at a quid pro quo for sexual favors, asking her to let him watch her pump her breasts, making inappropriate comments about her body, asking for her and her fiancé to have sex in front of the cameras so he could watch, touching himself while looking at photos of her and her family, and asking her for photos.

After an examination into Johnson’s conduct, an outside investigator hired by the city found that Johnson misappropriated almost $3,000 of city funds by both overpaying and underpaying Ms. Huskey. The investigator also found that Johnson texted Ms. Huskey numerous inappropriate, sexual comments.

Ms. Huskey’s civil-rights complaint [UPDATED 5/30/24] alleges and depicts that some of the unwanted things Johnson said to Ms. Huskey via text message include the following:

• “I’ll be fine… Pictures would sure help…”
• “Could you put a couple of good N95’s in my mailbox? […] If you want to carry them in your pants for a while that would be ok”
• “You dressing up for the party [Winking emoji]”
• “But you are mine… wonder about you all the time”

Subodh Chandra, lead counsel for Ms. Huskey, said, “While Kent Johnson’s firing was inevitable, he was permitted to run his department as he saw fit with inadequate supervision. There was no clear place, policy, or mechanism for Ms. Huskey to report her experiences, and she alleges that Johnson blocked her at every turn.”

“Ultimately, not just Johnson, but the city itself must be held accountable.”

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Chandra Law is experienced obtaining justice for victims of sex/gender discrimination including sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and employment retaliation. We also secure constitutional rights like those at issue here.

And the firm helped pioneer work in holding individuals and companies accountable for civil liability for criminal acts, securing the two leading Supreme Court of Ohio decisions favorable to crime victims on the topic.

If you think that your civil rights have been violated, you may contact us to discuss your options.

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