Inglewood mayor denies groping claims

Well, Christine, the mayor continues to deny any wrongdoing, but tonight that high school student who accuses him of touching her is taking the first step towards a lawsuit against the city and the mayor. I fully deny their allegations with my whole heart. There is no documented complaint against me or anyone else in the city. That's not the case, according to this press release from attorney Jason Glasgow. He represents the high school student who says Mayor James T. Butts touched her inappropriately at a community event back in September. The press release announces a government claim will be filed against the mayor and the city of Inglewood, which could precede a lawsuit. The mayor stood here on this very lawn and called me a liar. Today we are gathered here because we have some serious allegations against our mayor. Yolanda Davidson was one of the activists who first brought the allegations to the forefront. I said from the very beginning it was an allegation and it's still an allegation. There's an investigation that's going on and we don't know all the facts but we do know that something did in fact happen here. The mayor issued the following statement. A press release without a claim for damages on the eve of an election is obvious political warfare. The Inglewood Police Department has an open investigation and has interviewed the witnesses. The video will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. The mayor also acknowledges that he met with the girl's father at the family's house, as seen in this cell phone video. But Mayor Butts says that was only at the insistence of the father, and that he did not apologize because there was nothing to apologize for. Tuesday's city council meeting has been canceled, and the city isn't saying why. That frustrates residents who plan to speak about the allegations, including candidates running against Mayor Butts. I think if you need to represent this city, you should have a city council meeting right before the election takes place. The residents have a right to know. The residents have a right to speak. He doesn't want to face the community, so he knows that we're coming to this city council meeting, and he knows that we're coming to speak truth to power. A spokesperson for the girls' family issued the following statement. Jane Doe is a teen in her senior year of high school. She should be focused on her education, her future, graduation, and the milestones that come with this important chapter of her life. Public office is a public trust. It is not a shield from accountability. When a young person reports alleged misconduct involving an elected official, government institutions have a responsibility to seek the truth, not protect reputations, manage political fallout, or create the appearance of coordinated defense. We'll have both full statements from the family and from Mayor Butts on our website. Christine? It's quite the accusation there, Gina, following this one closely. Thank you.