Jan 4, 2022 3 min read

Uniontown’s city treasurer has filed suit once again against the city and some of its officials, claiming she is facing obstacles in doing her job.

Antoinette Hodge filed the suit Dec. 30 in U.S. District Court against the city, Councilman Martin Gatti, City Clerk Kimberly Marshall and other unnamed defendants.

The suit claims Hodge’s constitutional rights were violated, she has been subjected to “unjustifiable scrutiny” because she is Black and in retaliation for a prior lawsuit she filed.

In January 2020, Hodge sued Gatti and Marshall, alleging the two conspired to try and prevent her from assuming the treasurer’s post because of her race. Both vehemently denied the accusations at the time. Hodge was not sworn in with other newly elected city officials Jan. 3 of that year after a bond company revoked the bond that was necessary to hold the post. She was eventually sworn in Jan. 13, 2020.

Hodge is believed to be the first Black woman to serve as treasurer in Uniontown’s history.

A settlement was reached and that suit was dismissed, but in the new filing, Hodge claims she remains hampered in performing her job.

The Dec. 30 filing alleges Hodge has been “subjected to numerous acts of retaliation by the defendants” since the conclusion of that lawsuit.

Many of the claims listed allege that Hodge has not been provided means necessary to do her job, such as proper documentation, bank statements and control of the city’s tax data.

The suit goes on to claim that she feels she’s been denied control of the tax data, as well as any oversight of the city’s sewage collections and transactions, based on her race.

Also alleged in the suit is that Gatti regularly votes against Hodge’s reports and/or requests, while reports of other city offices are regularly approved.

“Plaintiff believes, and therefore avers, that Defendant Uniontown’s Council has refused to accept the Plaintiff’s reports and/or requests in retaliation for engaging in a protected activity, to wit, filing a federal lawsuit,” the lawsuit states.

Claims also include that Marshall, Gatti’s sister-in-law, called a special meeting to rescind Hodge’s request to purchase new tax software, a request that council voted to approve.

Throughout 2021, Hodge reported many system errors and data breach issues within the tax software and believes that the defendants have accessed the server and altered information in the system as a means of accusing Hodge of misconduct, the suit alleges.

The lawsuit also states that Hodge is seeking economic damages relating to all medical, legal and any other costs, plus any other damages that become apparent.

Filing suit on Hodge’s behalf is attorney Joel Sansone, who could not be reached for comment Monday.

Uniontown solicitor Tim Witt had his first chance to review the lawsuit Monday.

“Typically, we don’t comment on pending litigation, but I will say the city vigorously denies the allegations,” he said.