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Fired Reporter Cites Sex Offer in Text Message

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CN) - A TV news reporter says she was fired so the program manager could give her job to a woman who had sex with him. Leeah Brennan claims Scripps Howard Broadcasting manager Richard Iler sexually harassed her and then fired her days after he "consummated the sexual relationship" with the other woman for the first time.

Brennan claims that "Iler had a sexual relationship with a subordinate employee during his employment with defendant Scripps Howard. Defendant Iler expressly told this subordinate employee via text messages that she would have an employment opportunity, namely that she would have a reporter-type position if she had sex with him," according to the complaint in Jackson County Court.

The complaint continues: "Defendant Iler consummated the sexual relationship with the subordinate employee for the first time on march 3, 2009. Within days of the sexual activity, defendant Iler terminated plaintiff Brennan for the purpose of opening an employment position for the subordinate employee."

Brennan also sued Tracy Wakeman, a Scripps Howard manager.

"Defendant Scripps Howard and Tracy Wakeman, knew of defendant Iler's actions, conditioning an employment position on a sexual relationship, but did not reverse Iler's decision to terminate the plaintiff," according to the complaint.

Brennan claims Iler had engaged in similar behavior with previous employers, but the defendants hired him anyway and failed to monitor him.

She seeks actual and punitive damages. She is represented by Stephen Thornberry with Thornberry, Eischens & Brown.

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