Fai’ivae Alex Godinet, chief of staff of Congressman Faleomavaega’s local District Office has called a civil action lawsuit against the Congressman’s office in Washington D.C.  “baseless” and “without merit.”

Victor E. Salazar, who was employed at the Congressman’s D.C. office for two years until his employment was terminated last November filed the suit Thursday at the federal court in Washington D.C.

He sites five counts of civil rights violations; one count of violation of prohibition of intimidation or reprisal; and two counts of violating the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Through these allegations, Salazar also claims violations of provisions of the Congressional Accountability Act, which protects the rights of Congressional employees.

Fai’ivae said that because the matter is now pending in federal court the office cannot comment on the specific allegations cited in the civil suit.

He did point out that as an ardent supporter of the Congressional Accountability Act, Congressman Faleomavaega respects the rights of Congressional employees to pursue remedies for perceived violations of the Act.

“However, Mr. Salazar’s complaint is without merit and does not provide an accurate account of the underlying circumstances. Suffice it to say that Mr. Salazar’s claims are false,” Fai’ivae said yesterday.

Further, the “Office of Congressman Faleomavaega did not and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, or any other legally protected characteristic, nor does it retaliate against its employees.”

Fai’ivae said the Congressman’s office is being represented by legal counsel from the U.S. House of Representatives “and the facts will show that these malicious allegations are baseless.”

The plaintiff is asking the court to be awarded, among other things, $300,000 in compensatory damages for extreme embarrassment, humiliation and mental anguish; and damages equal to the amount of wages and benefits Plaintiff would have earned had he not been terminated. (See yesterday’s front-page story in Samoa News for more details)

According to federal court records, this case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton.