Assemblyman Joe DeStefano is being sued by a former staffer who claims he pressured her into a romantic relationship, then pushed her to resign after it ended, according to reporting by The Times-Union.
Lynn Zigrosser, his former director of community affairs, says she initially resisted DeStefano’s advances but ultimately gave in due to his authority. After their brief relationship ended last August, she alleges DeStefano demanded her resignation within weeks. His attorneys admit to the relationship but deny it led to her departure.
DeStefano, elected in 2018, is also seeking dismissal of the case, arguing qualified immunity as a government official and procedural missteps by Zigrosser. A separate overtime pay claim was dropped earlier in the litigation.
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