Democrat Representative Emilia Sykes wants Governor John Kasich to force his departments of Public Safety and Administrative Services to participate in mediation with her to resolve the discrimination lawsuit she filed before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.  She sent her request to the governor via a letter.

Said Sykes in her letter, “I, like other African American women, have experienced unfair treatment and discrimination at Statehouse security checkpoints. ”

Kasich did not immediately respond to the letter, but Ohio Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said in a response email, “We respect the role that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission plays in this and their right to move forward with an investigation.  We do not want to do anything to hinder their ability to move forward and will support their efforts. ”

Sykes’ claims include racism and sexism.  She filed the complaint with the Civil Rights Commission in July and claimed there were several incidents from throughout 2016 until the beginning of the summer that occurred.  She says she was stopped by law enforcement and contract security guards in spite of having a state badge. 

According to Sykes, “I have tried to work with DPS Director John Born and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), but they have yet to even acknowledge issues of discrimination," let alone offer an apology to me and other Black women who have experienced unfair scrutiny and treatment which raises a bigger question: If credentialed elected officials are being treated differently because of our skin color and/or gender, how are citizens being treated by the Highway Patrol at their statehouse and on their highways?"

She is hoping to find remedies and protect other people from future acts of discrimination.