The city of National City has hired outside legal counsel to investigate a harassment complaint filed against the mayor’s executive assistant in which she is accused of verbally abusing and bullying a council aide at a recent city event.
Anita Brinkley, aide to Councilwoman Mona Rios, said she was contacted by investigator Jim Lough to set up an appointment to meet with him to discuss her Nov. 3 complaint against mayoral aide Josie Flores Clark.
However, Stacey Stevenson, deputy city manager and director of human resources, could not confirm that an outside agency had been hired to look into the matter, citing that it is a personnel matter.
Brinkley said Flores Clark’s verbal harassment has caused her emotional stress.
“It was a brutal attack,” she said in an interview. “She degraded me. She was just brutal, almost like a pitbull that wouldn’t stop barking at me.”
Brinkley said she and co-aide Claudia Gonzales attended the mayor’s State of the City address in October to represent Rios, as the councilwoman was running late and ultimately did not attend.
Brinkley said as Gonzales left for a few minutes before the start of the event, Flores Clark “yelled and screamed” at Brinkley saying she needed to get out of the front row seat she was sitting in and demanded she go sit in the back. Brinkley said the seat she sat in was reserved for Rios.
Brinkley said despite efforts explaining she was in her seat representing Rios and showed her identification badge, Flores Clark continued to berate her.
“She was irate,” Brinkley said. “She was out of control. She continued degrading me and bullying me.”
Before proceeding with the complaint, Brinkley appeared at an October council meeting to speak during public comment where she informed the mayor and the city council about Flores Clark’s actions and informed them of her plan to pursue a complaint against her.
Rios said she stands by her aide.
“I take my staffer’s concerns of potential misconduct seriously,” she said. “National City employees are required to uphold our code of conduct, and it is incumbent upon the mayor and council to respect our code. If a staff member or volunteer feels that right has been violated they have the right to due process.”
When reached by telephone, Flores Clark said she had “no comment” in regards to the allegations or complaint.
Mayor Ron Morrison also declined to comment for the story saying he will comment at an appropriate time.
Although Morrison did not comment for the story, he replied to Brinkley’s public comment about her intentions to file the complaint, putting any blame on himself.
“…My assistant who was basically single handedly putting on that large event that night was working under my instructions,” he said. “And those same instructions went out on the PA system in the meeting. So if you got a complaint, I’m the person you should file the complaint [against].”
Brinkley said she seeks a public apology from Flores Clark.
