Former Bexar County Lt. Roxanne Mathai has won a large settlement after suing her former employer.
A sheriff’s deputy fired for her actions in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, has secured a large settlement from Bexar County in Texas.
Roxanne Mathai, a lieutenant with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) at the time she traveled to Washington, will receive $395,000 in a settlement reached after she sued her former employer, the parties in the case told The Epoch Times.
“We’re very pleased with the resolution,” Mark Anthony Sanchez, an attorney representing Ms. Mathai, told The Epoch Times. He said the settlement was “nothing short of vindication for Roxanne.”
“I am grateful for the unwavering support of my attorney … and the countless individuals who stood by me throughout this challenging ordeal,” Ms. Mathai said in a statement. “This settlement not only provides closure for me personally but also sends a powerful message that wrongful termination will not be tolerated.”
Monica Ramos, a spokeswoman for Bexar County, told The Epoch Times in an email that the county’s insurer decided to settle.
“Bexar County continues to deny that any acts of discrimination or retaliation occurred,” Ms. Ramos said. “Nothing about the insurer’s decision to settle both claims can be construed as an admission of any wrongdoing or liability by Bexar County, which is expressly denied.”
Ms. Mathai posted images and videos on Jan. 6, 2021, from a rally for then-President Donald Trump in Washington, held just before people breached the U.S. Capitol. Ms. Mathai went over to the building after the rally. She included captions in her posts, such as “Today has been amazing!”
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said a day later that he was aware of the materials and that he intended to make sure Ms. Mathai never entered a sheriff’s office building again.
He said that Ms. Mathai was allowed to exercise her First Amendment rights but should have left once crimes began being committed.
