Ex-Newark Worker Settles $380K 'Political' Lawsuit With City: Report

NEWARK, NJ — An ex-Newark city worker has settled a lawsuit with the city in which he claimed he was fired for “political reasons” for $380,000, a report says.

Keith Isaac, a former Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) in Newark, claimed that when Mayor Ras Baraka removed him from his position in July of 2014, it was allegedly contrary to state law, as only the New Jersey governor, not a mayor, can remove an EMC.

Isaac said that he was appointed to his first three-year term as on Aug. 17, 2007, by former Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

The NJ Civil Settlements blog first reported news of the settlement on Sunday.

“The settlement agreement contains a confidentiality clause, which prevents the parties to the suit from publicly disclosing the settlement terms,” the blog stated. “Fortunately, however, these confidentiality clauses do not trump the public's right to obtain copies of settlement agreements that arise out of lawsuits in which a government agency or official is a defendant.”

Photo: Newark City Press Office

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