State Sen. Fred Love (D-Little Rock) has filed a federal lawsuit against Pulaski County, his former employer, alleging that racial discrimination led to his resignation last year.
Love resigned his position as director of community services in August after County Attorney Adam Fogleman raised concerns about a county employee who had been allowed to serve as her son’s landlord in the county’s housing voucher program.
In the lawsuit, filed March 19 in federal court in Little Rock, Love requested a jury trial, reinstatement to his position, back pay, compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees. The lawsuit was first reported by Dale Ellis of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Love claims in the case that Fogleman requested his resignation on Aug. 8 and said he would recommend that County Judge Barry Hyde terminate Love’s employment.
Fogleman told Love that deputy county attorney Veletta Smith should not have been allowed to serve as her son’s landlord in the county’s housing voucher program, also known as Section 8.
Love said he met with Hyde before resigning and said the county judge told him he agreed that he had done nothing wrong but that it was best that he resign. Love argued that if he hadn’t done anything wrong then he should not be forced to resign.
Love said the problem started when he fired county housing director Keya Brooks, who had attempted to place her sister on the housing voucher program and bypass the waiting list. Brooks then complained that Smith “had her son put on the voucher program,” according to the lawsuit.
Smith had not violated any laws or policies in doing so, the lawsuit states, but Fogleman said it “did not look good” and demanded that she resign. Smith resigned on Aug. 8.
Fogleman told Love, “It does not look good for you either,” the lawsuit says.
Smith’s son, who is disabled, had also been given the “reasonable accommodation” of allowing his mother to serve as his landlord, the lawsuit says.
Love also claims that he has been the subject of unwarranted investigations “spearheaded by then Deputy County Attorney Chastity Scifres,” who he says tried to get the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate him. The federal agency declined to do so, the lawsuit says.
Love cited several instances of white employees in similar situations not being forced to resign or having been treated differently.
Love, who is Black, also claims he was paid less than white directors of county departments and said he was denied a request to take leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act after adopting a baby.
Love also alleges that Fogleman was offered the county attorney position before it had been properly posted and that Fogleman attempted to obtain a county grant for property he owned but dropped the application after bringing allegations against Smith and Love.