Monmouth Freeholder Sues Board Over Sex Harassment Probe: Report

FREEHOLD, NJ — Monmouth County Freeholder John Curley has filed a federal lawsuit against the rest of the Board of Freeholders over a pending report on an investigation into claims of sexual harassment against the freeholder, according to a report.

The Asbury Park Press reported Curley filed the suit Friday morning to block release of the report, and also is seeking to regain access to the Monmouth County Hall of Records, where the freeholders' offices are located.

The lawsuit claims the county violated Curley's due process and First Amendment rights in its handling of the investigation. Curley was barred from county offices and from speaking to county employees, according to the report.

The lawsuit names Freeholders Lillian Burry, Serena DiMaso, Thomas Arnone and Gary Rich, along with Michael Fitzgerald, the Monmouth County freeholder board attorney, and Teri O'Connor, the county administrator.

In the lawsuit, Curley claims both the investigation and barring him from the building are retaliation for Curley going after corruption, citing an investigation into the financial actions of the former president of Brookdale Community College, among other items.

The nature of the sexual harassment allegations was not discussed in the lawsuit, but Curley accuses DiMaso of making them as a response to conflicts between the two, according to the lawsuit.

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John Curley, photo via Monmouth County official government website