COD trustee strikes back against college, board chairman
One of the three female former College of DuPage trustees being sued by board Chairman Micheal McKinnon for defamation is suing back.
Mary Mack filed a countersuit Monday against McKinnon for battery and is also suing the college for failing defend her against McKinnon's suit.
Mack is seeking unspecified damages for an incident in 2007 when she claims McKinnon groped her during a meeting about college issues at his personal business office in Downers Grove. When she reported McKinnon's behavior to college officials, McKinnon sued her and two other board members who made similar accusations, the suit reads. The suit also claims the college refused to provide an attorney for her after McKinnon sued.
"The college's refusal to defend Mary as a former trustee is because they're retaliating against her," said Mack's attorney, Shawn Collins.
Collins said the college has a responsibility to defend Mack from lawsuits brought against her while she was performing her duties as a trustee.
Mack's suit is seeking unspecified damages from McKinnon and to cover her attorney fees.
Collins also filed a motion to dismiss McKinnon's lawsuit. He is not representing the other two former trustees and is not aware of any countersuits they may have filed. No records of such lawsuits could be found through the DuPage County Court Clerk's Web site.
Mack quit the board in January complaining about McKinnon's leadership. The sexual harassment allegations made against McKinnon came to light this past fall in a publication devoted to education issues in Glen Ellyn. McKinnon filed suit in October. Besides Mack, former trustee Jane Herron made similar allegations about McKinnon. Another former trustee, Mary Sue Brown, said McKinnon made a crude remark to her about Herron.
McKinnon denies the allegations, and is seeking $6 million from the three women in his suit. He claims in his suit the allegations were part of a "political vendetta" designed to undermine his "position and influence on the board of trustees."
McKinnon's lawyer, Chuck Roberts, said he had not seen Mack's lawsuit.
"Every defendant handles these situations differently," Roberts said. "It's not unusual to see a motion to dismiss as an opening move."
College officials have also stated an investigation was conducted into the allegations, but have never publicly acknowledged the results.