Ken Kratz, the former District Attorney for Calumet County in Wisconsin has responded to a lawsuit charging him of sexual harassment by Stephanie Van Groll. The lawsuit accuses Kratz of violating Groll’s constitutional rights to due process and equal protection by sending her sexually explicit messages while prosecuting her ex boyfriend. A number of other women have come forward claiming that Kratz also sent them sexually charged text messages.
In his response, Kratz claims he is immune from the civil lawsuit because he was a public official at the time. Although he has admitted he sent suggestive text messages to Groll. Immunity protects public officials from being sued for certain violations of a person’s constitutional rights committed. However, immunity can only be claimed when the alleged conduct does not clearly violate rights a reasonable person would know about.
Kratz resigned as the District Attorney in October amidst the “sexting” scandal. He is now asking that the lawsuit against him be dismissed. Groll, on the other hand, wants a public declaration that her rights were violated and an unspecified monetary amount.
