SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Nathan Fletcher “was not involved” in the firing of Grecia Figueroa, a former Metropolitan Transit System employee who sued the ex-San Diego County Supervisor for sexual harassment and sexual assault, according to findings from an independent investigation.
MTS officials stated the Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP (OIG) was hired by the agency to look into the claims made by Grecia Figueroa in her lawsuit against MTS and Fletcher.
Figueroa was fired by MTS from her public relations specialist position on Feb. 6, 2023, after being with the agency since June 2019.
Her firing came on the same day as Fletcher’s announced run for state Senate — a campaign he ended on March 26.
Figueroa filed her lawsuit against MTS and Fletcher two days after he ended his state Senate bid, alleging MTS “failed to prevent and address Fletcher’s sexual harassment and terminated her because she was sexually harassed by Fletcher.”
Fletcher, who resigned from his position as Chairman of the MTS Board of Directors on March 29, 2023, publicly denied Figueroa’s allegations, and he claimed that he only had “consensual interactions” with her.
Fletcher resigned from the County Board of Supervisors on March 30.
An MTS press release issued Thursday included this summary of OIG's investigation findings:
- “That MTS officials and employees did not have any knowledge of a personal and/or intimate relationship between Fletcher and Figueroa prior to Figueroa’s termination”
- “That Fletcher was not involved in Figueroa’s termination”
- “That MTS officials acted reasonably in their reporting of information to the MTS Board of Directors”
- “That Fletcher’s positions on the MTS Board and/or County Board of Supervisors or his relationships with MTS officials or agents did not impact the reporting of information to the Board, MTS’s treatment of Figueroa, or any other actions taken by MTS”
The MTS report says Figueroa was not interviewed for the investigation as the attorney leading the investigation was unable to reach an agreement with Figueroa, through her attorney, on the conditions for an interview.
In response to the report, Figueroa’s attorneys, The Pride Firm, issued the following statement to ABC 10News:
“Upon reviewing MTS’ independent investigation, we can’t help but feel unsurprised and disappointed. These purportedly independent results simply spout baseless ‘performance issues’ as a means of avoiding liability when it is clear that Ms. Figueroa was thriving at work before Fletcher announced his run for political office. It is also crucial and telling that Ms. Figueroa was not even interviewed or consulted by the supposedly independent body performing this investigation. How could a fair or impartial investigation occur when the victim herself is not given the opportunity to tell her story? All of this in the coat tails of a recent court filing by another former MTS employee accusing the public entity of attempting to have her break the law and lie with respect to Ms. Figueroa’s lawsuit and employment. It is clear that MTS has engaged in practices designed to protect its own interests, and perhaps even the interests of former Chairman, Nathan Fletcher, rather than look out for its own employees. We will continue to uncover the truth and seek accountability as this case proceeds toward trial next year.”
Click here to read the full report released by MTS
