Amended Same-Sex Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Filed Against Armstrong Williams, Conservative Political Commentator and Radio Host
Katz, Marshall & Banks Amended Suit Charges That After Being Sued For Sexual Harassment, Williams Falsely Accused Former Employee of Extortion to National Media Even Though Williams Knew That Employee Had "Irrefutable Proof" of the November 1, 2015 Sexual Assault at His Capitol Hills Home
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Charlton Woodyard, a former employee of Armstrong Williams and his company, Howard Stirk Holdings II, Inc., filed an amended lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Williams, suing Williams for defamation. Woodyard filed his initial lawsuit ("Complaint") on July 13, 2016, alleging that Williams used his star power as a prominent conservative political commentator, radio host and advisor to Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson to cultivate a relationship with Mr. Woodyard. Mr. Williams, who is 30 years older than Mr. Woodyard, befriended the then 26-year-old and convinced him to work for him, full-time, for little or no compensation, and rewarded him with introductions to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, U.S. Senator Tim Scott, and presidential candidates Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson.
In the Complaint, Mr. Woodyard alleged that Mr. Williams used his relationship with him to control Mr. Woodyard financially and professionally, and ultimately abused his power to attempt to exploit him sexually. The Complaint further alleged that on November 1, 2015, Mr. Williams subjected Mr. Woodyard to a prolonged and unwelcome series of sexual advances, which Mr. Woodyard repeatedly rejected telling Mr. Williams that he was not interested in having sex with him. The Complaint further alleged that Mr. Williams refused to take no for an answer, and groped Mr. Woodyard's penis and engaged in other unwelcome sexual contact with him. According to the Complaint, after Mr. Woodyard rejected Mr. Williams' sexual advances and offer to pay him for sex, Williams subsequently commenced a campaign of retaliation against Woodyard culminating in his termination.
In today's filing, Mr. Woodyard alleges that after he filed his Complaint, Mr. Williams made defamatory statements about Mr. Woodyard to national news media, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, and on his nationally syndicated Sirius XM radio show, falsely accusing Mr. Woodyard of fabricating these allegations in an effort to extort money from him. Mr. Williams knew at the time he made these statements, according to the First Amended Complaint, that Mr. Woodyard had not made any form of request for payment of funds from him and moreover, that the allegations in the Complaint were true. Mr. Woodyard further alleges that despite Mr. Williams' knowledge that Mr. Woodyard had "irrefutable proof" of the events alleged regarding the November 1, 2015, sexual assault by Williams in his Capitol Hills home, Mr. Williams refused to issue a retraction of the defamatory statements.
Mr. Woodyard is represented by attorneys Debra S. Katz and Lisa J. Banks of Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP.
CONTACT: Debra Katz, Esquire (202) 299-1140 - [email protected]
SOURCE Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP
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