A judge ordered Grecia Figueroa, the woman suing former San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher over sexual assault and harassment, to provide documentation of all written communication between her and Fletcher, including text and social media messages and emails.
Fletcher requested the documentation in a motion filed in August, arguing their full conversations would show he and Figuroa had only consensual interactions.
Figueroa filed her civil lawsuit in May, claiming that Fletcher had repeatedly groped her and sexually harassed her over six months while pursuing a sexual relationship. Figueroa worked in public relations for the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) at the time of the alleged assault and claims that Fletcher, who chaired the MTS board before resigning in the face of the lawsuit, had a hand in her firing in early 2023.
An amended complaint filed by Figueroa in July claimed Fletcher offered her $10,000 to keep her allegations private.
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Fletcher claims to have had no power over Figueroa’s salary or work schedule or anything to do with her termination, and that her job “required very little, if any, direct interaction with Mr. Fletcher.”
After Fletcher's motion was filed, Figueroa's attorney told NBC 7 “We’re working to produce the documents with them and this is nothing more than gamesmanship.”
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Snapshots of text and social media conversations between Fletcher and Figueroa were included in the original lawsuit, which Fletcher's motion described as "out of context." Figueroa and her attorneys now have a week to produce the rest so Fletcher’s attorneys can review them and they could face a fine if they don't.
Fletcher's motion also called for Fletcher’s wife's name to be removed from the lawsuit, claiming that it was only included to "cause her embarrassment and attempt to disrupt her career.” The judge did not address that request, or Fletcher's demand for $10,000 on legal fees, at Friday's hearing.
In response to Fletcher's motions, Figueroa’s attorney said in a statement sent to NBC 7:
“Mr. Fletcher prefers to politicize the litigation process, wasting time and resources by deploying distractions to the media rather than taking accountability. This is, unfortunately, an all-too-familiar experience for survivors of sexual harassment and assault. We are undeterred by Mr. Fletcher's attempts to re-write history, and we are confident the truth will prevail.”
In the wake of Figueroa's lawsuit, Fletcher also resigned from the Board of Supervisors, terminated his campaign for State Senate and checked into an out-of-state rehab facility for alcohol abuse and PTSD, according to his resignation letter.
A special election will determine Fletcher’s replacement on the Board of Supervisors. District 4 voters will choose between current San Diego City Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe and nonprofit founder Amy Reichart on Nov. 7.
