A group of Tazewell County jail guards has filed a lawsuit claiming Sheriff Robert Huston retaliated against them because of their politics and their union roles.
The Peoria Journal-Star reported that 13 corrections officers filed the complaint Friday in U.S. District Court in Peoria. It names Huston, four jail commanders and the county as defendants.
The suit claims Huston and other administrators denied workers’ compensation claims, installed a camera to monitor union activity, and denied training and promotions, among other things. It contends these actions were in retaliation for a 2010 vote of no confidence, the officers’ support of Huston’s 2012 opponent and their police-union activity.
Huston was unaware of the lawsuit when contacted by the newspaper Friday. He says the allegations are false.