Memphis City Council Chairwoman Jana Swearengen-Washington is facing a lawsuit from her own former chief of staff, who claims she was fired after refusing to spend taxpayer money on the chairwoman’s personal requests. The suit alleges Swearengen-Washington engaged in illegal activity, escalating a monthslong dispute between the two women that has already drawn a city-hired investigator into city hall.
Former Aide Says She Was Fired for Refusing Orders
According to the Daily Memphian, Swearengen-Washington faces a lawsuit brought by the council’s former chief of staff, Brooke Hyman. The suit says Swearengen-Washington fired Hyman after she refused to use taxpayer money for the chairwoman’s personal requests, per the lawsuit. The filing accuses the chairwoman of engaging in illegal activity, though the lawsuit itself was not made available in the reporting reviewed, and the paper's account does not detail the full scope of the claims or any requested relief.
Swearengen-Washington has said little publicly about the broader dispute. In comments given to Fox13 Memphis, she said, “I am not going to make any comments while the investigations are being conducted,” according to FOX13 Memphis. The station's report did not include a response addressing the lawsuit's specific allegations.
City Hired Outside Attorney Months Before Suit
The legal fight follows months of dueling complaints between Hyman and Swearengen-Washington that had already prompted the city to bring in outside help. City Attorney Tannera Gibson hired Memphis attorney Brian Faughnan to investigate, after recusing herself from matters involving city councilmembers, as reported by Action News 5. A city spokesperson told WREG that Faughnan would decide what action to take once the investigation concluded, including whether to refer the matter to law enforcement, as noted by WREG.
Officials have not disclosed much about what that investigation covers. Action News 5 reported that the specifics of the probe were not made public, leaving residents with few details about its timeline or scope.
Earlier Complaints Detailed Church Donations, Book Purchases
The dispute between Hyman and Swearengen-Washington dates back to complaints filed by both women earlier this year. One complaint against Swearengen-Washington outlined several instances in which she asked staff to contribute money to Christian Methodist Episcopal church causes, according to the Daily Memphian. Hyman also accused Swearengen-Washington of using city funds to buy 100 copies of Kamala Harris’ book, “107 Days,” and keeping a number of those copies for personal use, the outlet reported.
Swearengen-Washington, for her part, filed her own ethics complaint against Hyman. Per a report from FOX13 Memphis, the complaint alleged city funds may have been used to renew or maintain Hyman’s personal Costco membership. The complaint also raised questions about whether Hyman accurately recorded her leave, citing what it described as a pattern of absences on Fridays and Mondays.
None of those earlier allegations against either woman have been confirmed as substantiated in the reporting reviewed, and no findings from the city’s outside investigation have been released. It remains unclear what, if any, conclusions Faughnan has reached or whether the matter will be referred to law enforcement.
