Buttross Hit With Lawsuit
Former employees file claim against county commissioner candidate
By Amy Smith, Fri., Oct. 22, 2010
The plaintiffs' attorney, Kerry O'Brien, initially filed complaints against Buttross with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which dismissed both claims – an action O'Brien says is fairly common for the EEOC. "It says absolutely nothing about the merits of the case," he said. O'Brien noted that the timing of the lawsuit was dictated by the timing of the EEOC's decision, which includes a window of time in which a lawsuit can be filed. In this case the claim could have been brought after the Nov. 2 election, but O'Brien said he saw no need to wait. "I wanted to get his attention," O'Brien said. "I don't believe [Buttross] deserves any special accommodations because of the election."
Buttross denied the allegations and wondered aloud why newspapers are quick to paint him in a negative light, "without bothering to mention all the wonderful things that I do." He said his philanthropic efforts include donations to several local nonprofits and that he has helped more than 1,000 renters become homeowners. "I've done a ton of amazing things for the city of Austin, and the city of Austin owes me a debt of gratitude."
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