DENVER — A former Denver elections supervisor has filed a lawsuit, claiming she was fired in retaliation for voicing her concerns about poll worker safety on a show hosted by Jon Stewart in 2022.
Virginia Chau said as a first-generation American, becoming a poll supervisor in Denver meant everything to her.
"I would train poll workers. I would make sure I created safety plans," Chau said. "I'm so passionate about it, because I want more people like me — like us, right? — to be in the room. So other people that see us would want to come and vote."
Chau said she worked eight different elections and never shied away from speaking up about safety concerns.
During the pandemic, Chau faced aggressive voters calling her the "China-virus" and blaming her for COVID, according to the lawsuit. She said some voters were also hostile about the mask policies and when she asked for more security, her concerns were not addressed.
Chau shared some of her personal experiences when she was invited to speak on a show hosted by Jon Stewart in 2022.
She said the city of Denver retaliated as a result of her going on the show. She was working an election when she got the call from a city employee, who asked her why she went on the show and why she didn't ask permission first.
"'Like, why do you feel this way?'" she said the caller asked her. "I was like, 'I actually mentioned this before. You knew firsthand. I've asked, actually, for help at our centers to make sure we're protected.'"
Chau has now filed a civil rights lawsuit, claiming her first amendment right was violated. Denver attorney David Lane is representing her.
"This is a blatant First Amendment free speech violation," Lane said. "Any government employee has an absolute right to speak publicly on a matter of grave public concern, and the safety of poll workers is a matter of grave public concern... Virginia did a fantastic job discussing that on national television, and she got fired for her trouble. So the point of this lawsuit is, Denver needs to acknowledge they violated the First Amendment, and as Virginia so eloquently said, poll workers everywhere need to know that they can speak up and ask for support.
Chau said her family — who are refugees and immigrants — came to the United States because they didn't have the freedom of speech.
"I have such a privilege that I was born and raised here, and I have the First Amendment right — I need to exercise it," she said.
A spokesperson with the Denver Office of Clerk and Recorder sent Denver7 the following statement:
“We are unable to comment on the specifics of currently pending litigation. However, Denver Elections Division employees are trained in safety and security, de-escalation and how to report concerns. Our priority is protecting the integrity and security of elections and personnel.”
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