GOSHEN – Justin Rodriguez, an assistant to the Orange County executive, has filed a federal lawsuit against his former supervisor, Deputy Orange County Executive Harold Porr for “religious and national origin/ethnicity discrimination” in violation of U.S. and state statutes.
The lawsuit follows a county investigation conducted by an outside law firm that found Porr violated the county’s policy against discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Rodriguez had filed the county complaint in June 2022 and it was determined to be “founded” in August 2022.
Porr was removed as the direct supervisor of Rodriguez as a result but the two men still work together in county government.
Rodriguez has a Jewish mother and his father is of Puerto Rican descent. He claims that Porr knew of his heritage and used the information to make disparaging remarks loosely veiled as “jokes” toward him.
Plaintiff Rodriguez alleges that on several occasions, Porr mockingly asked him if he was going to a synagogue or temple, knowing that he does not practice Judaism. Porr, according to the lawsuit, also claims he referred to Jewish people as “cousins” of Rodriguez, “including the Hasidic Jews from Kiryas Joel who visited the office.”
In the federal lawsuit filed last Friday, Rodriguez claims Porr, during a meeting with several people on April 7, 2022, said he was voting for Rodriguez for governor and the plaintiff would be the “first Puerto Rican Jew governor.”
Rodriguez cites several specific dates and times when Porr made insensitive remarks regarding his Jewish and Puerto Rican background. In one instance, Porr is said to have referred to Emma Fuentes, an aide to State Senator James Skoufis, as a cousin of Rodriguez, solely because of her Hispanic surname. In another, Porr allegedly approached a conference room for a staff meeting and asked, “Where is Diego?” referring to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says Porr has violated his Constitutional right to be free from religious and ethnic discrimination. He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be awarded after a jury trial.
