By Randy Economy and Brian Hews
Patricia Kotze-Ramos
California State Assembly hopeful Patricia Kotze-Ramos has slammed critics in a stern email over the weekend regarding a lawsuit that was filed against her last week by a former employee who is alleging sexual harassment claims.
Kotze-Ramos is running in the newly created 58th Assembly District in Tuesday’s election against Bell Gardens resident Cristina Garcia.
Los Cerritos Community Newspaper was sent a copy of the email sent by the Kotze-Ramos campaign.
“Late yesterday afternoon my campaign office learned about the outrageous allegations referenced in what appears I believe to be a smear campaign. These are nothing more than a calculated attack against my character, family and business.” Kotze-Ramos email stated.
“Actions such as this should not be a deterrent for others interested in running for office. This is exactly why I decided to run. We need to make a change in this area. Frivolous lawsuits are costly, disruptive and usually fueled by greed.”
The email continues: “The timing of this lawsuit is suspicious given that it was filed within a few days of November 6th and the Press Release is obviously engineered to disrupt this election. My legal team is prepared to take appropriate action to hold those accountable for their reckless and inappropriate actions and to date we have not been served.”
“The allegations are completely baseless and totally false. Due to pending litigation I am unable to address any of the specifics. I encourage you to keep an open mind and not draw any conclusions. I ask and thank you for your continued support,” it concludes with a note to supporters to “vote on Tuesday” and signed by Kotze-Ramos.
Los Cerritos News reported the details of the lawsuit last Thursday on its website and in its print edition on Friday.
Influential Southern California radio talk show host David Cruz, from KLTK AM 1150 interviewed Kotze-Ramos on Friday on his popular daily broadcast. Kotze-Ramos called the lawsuit a “campaign attack.”
Los Angeles attorney David Olson filed a lawsuit on October 30 on behalf of his client Michele Cordova who is a former employee of Patricia Kotze-Ramos who is engaged in a heated campaign for a State Assembly seat in the greater Cerritos, Downey, and Bell Gardens area.
The civil lawsuit alleges sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and breach of contract against Kotze-Ramos and her husband George Ramos, and at least two of their business entities Diversified Risk Management, Inc. and Employer Choice Online Inc.
Olson told Los Cerritos Community Newspaper in an interview on Thursday that Cordova previously worked for eight years for the Ramos’s until April, 2012, most recently as Director of Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations for the two.
The 24-page Complaint, filed in the Central District of the Los Angeles Superior Court alleges “a long history of sexual harassment directed against Ms. Cordova by defendants and further alleges the defendants terminated her after she had received years of positive work reviews,” Olson said.
“Ms. Cordova alleges she was terminated shortly after she complained about being required to misrepresent herself as an attorney in sexual harassment training seminars the defendants gave to their clients,” Olson said.
“Ms. Cordova also alleges she was required to provide personal services to the defendants, such as answering phone calls for Ms. Kotze-Ramos’ adult toy business, house-sitting and baby-sitting for the Ramos’s, hosting parties for them, and serving alcohol at those parties, for which she mostly was not paid,” Olsen said.
Olson told LCCN that Patricia Kotze-Ramos and her husband George were in the “adult toy business” and operated an on-line business called SensualMe.com. A search of the internet shows that a home page does exist for the service, but it appears to no longer be in business.
Kotze-Ramos fired back on Thursday afternoon by telling LCCN that “I have to give kudos for the imagination and creativity in these allegations but they are false.”