Superior Court Judge Dismisses Ex-CIO\u2019s Case Against MTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Two Superior Court judges have now dismissed a trio of legal challenges tied to sexual harassment allegations that forced ex-county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher out of office.<\/p>\n The latest dismissal came via Superior Court Judge Gregory Pollack\u2019s Friday decision, following summary judgment motions by MTS, that there were no \u201ctriable issues of fact\u201d in ex-MTS\u2019s Chief Information Officer Emily Outlaw\u2019s employment case<\/a> against the agency.<\/p>\n Refresher:<\/strong> Outlaw alleged MTS retaliated against her because of her lack of cooperation as it grappled with the scandal involving Fletcher and then-MTS public relations staffer Grecia Figueroa. Outlaw claimed that she refused to have her IT department recover Figueroa\u2019s private messages and that she had been asked to prove that a February 2023 email that Figueroa\u2019s attorney sent the agency\u2019s human resources director went to the official\u2019s spam folder though the official saw it. The latter allegation \u2013 if true \u2013 would have meant that the agency knew about Figueroa\u2019s claims against Fletcher sooner than it stated publicly<\/a>.<\/p>\n The judge\u2019s ruling:<\/strong> In his Aug. 29 ruling posted late this week, Pollack concluded that the search of Figueroa\u2019s messages was lawful because MTS had a legal duty to preserve evidence and MTS policy had clarified that employees using MTS devices and platforms \u201cshall have no expectation of privacy in such communication.\u201d Pollack also wrote that there was \u201cno remotely credible evidence of a causal connection between Outlaw relaying the results of her subordinate\u2019s investigation to (MTS CEO Sharon) Cooney) and any adverse action taken against Outlaw.\u201d<\/p>\n What the lawyers are saying: <\/strong>Attorney Jim Mitchell, Outlaw\u2019s attorney, said he and his client are now considering whether to appeal. Mitchell argued that Outlaw laid out substantial evidence worthy of a trial and that the judge inappropriately put his thumb on the scale.<\/p>\n \u201cHe should have let a jury decide it,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n Attorney Nadia Bermudez, who represented MTS in the case, had a different take.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe that the judge\u2019s dismissal of all claims was consistent with the undisputed facts and applicable law,\u201d Bermudez wrote in a statement. \u201cThe judge agreed that MTS did not violate or fail to comply with any local, state or federal rule or regulation. In short, MTS followed all the rules a public employer should in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n Recent history:<\/strong> In early August, San Diego Superior Court Judge Matthew Braner dismissed all claims<\/a> against the transit system in Figueroa\u2019s lawsuit against the agency and Fletcher. A week later, Braner dismissed Figueroa\u2019s case against Fletcher<\/a> due to what he described as her rampant and willful \u201cspoliation\u201d of evidence.<\/p>\n Paloma Is Ready to Wield Her Power\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre is ready to use her new powers to address the Tijuana sewage crisis.<\/p>\n Our Jim Hinch joined her on a coastline boat tour she organized to bring attention to the issue and show up-close how pollution from the river enters the ocean.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hinch writes that the newly-elected supervisor plans to ask for two region-wide studies that would study sewage-related health impacts on residents in South County and how beach closures impact the local economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n She also plans to ask her colleagues to hire a lobbyist to educate federal lawmakers on the sewage crisis. Hinch took a look at her proposal and found something interesting about where she plans to get the money to do that work.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/untitled-02083-1024x683.jpg\")
A man uses the PRONTO machine to purchase a ticket to ride the trolley at 12th and Imperial Avenue in downtown on May 1, 2023. \/ Photo by Ariana Drehsler <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Tijuana_river_boat_tour-14-1024x683.jpg\")
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre points out the Tijuana River mouth from the Pacific Ocean, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. A boat trip to the area was organized by San Diego Coast Keeper and Aguirre\u2019s office to bring attention the the Tijuana River pollution crisis. \/ Zo\u00eb Meyers for Voice of San Diego<\/p>\n