Former Cincinnati fire chief Michael Washington has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city, city manager and mayor.
Prior to his termination, neither the mayor nor the city manager raised any concerns about how Washington was leading the department, WLWT reported, referring to the suit.
"It's like they said strike three before he had strikes one or two", commented Washington's attorney Stephen Imm.
Regarding the Presidents Day fire at a high-rise apartment complex, the lawsuit states that Washington's inability to be present at the fire is in "no way a dereliction of his duty."
Washington was not given prior notice of his termination or an opportunity to be heard on the charges against him prior to termination, Imm told reporters.
When City Manager Sheryl Long announced last month that Washington was fired, she said the city wanted to create a sustainable workplace culture and believed the chief wasn't capable of doing that.
As for whether that constitutes cause, Imm said, "I don't believe it comes within a hundred miles of giving them cause to terminate Chief Washington. The Charter does not say that Chief Washington will remain in his position until the City Manager loses faith in him or loses confidence in him. You've got to have just cause to terminate him."
