Sacramento mayor’s office declines to comment on settlement

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson’s office declined to comment Wednesday on an alleged private settlement reached between Johnson and a city employee who accused him of sexual harassment.

On Tuesday’s episode of HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel,” reporter David Scott said a private settlement had been reached between Ilee Muller and Kevin Johnson, but offered no evidence or documentation. Muller did not appear on the show. The mayor’s office refused to answer a yes or no question on the existence of such a settlement.

“As we stated in May of 2015, per the direction of the City Attorney, we cannot comment on personnel matters involving City employees,” the mayor’s press secretary Ben Sosenko said in an emailed statement.

City Attorney James Sanchez did not return a request for comment Wednesday.

Muller, a former employee of City Manager John Shirey, filed a claim against Johnson in 2015 alleging that Johnson harassed her over a seven-month period in 2013 and 2014.

The claim said the mayor asked Muller to come to his private library on City Hall’s fifth floor in December 2013 and pressed himself against her and touched her inappropriately before trying to kiss her. The claim detailed further harassment by Johnson in 2014. Muller sought $200,000 in damages from the city.

The city attorney’s office and an outside law firm investigated the claim and Sanchez recommended that it be denied. City Council approved the recommendation in a closed-door vote.

Muller’s attorney did not return a phone call Wednesday.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 8:09 PM with the headline "Sacramento mayor’s office declines to comment on settlement."