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By Echo Menges
Michelle Gilbert, the former administrative assistant to the Knox County Commission turned whistleblower, has filed a lawsuit against Knox County, the County Commission, and individual defendants, including Presiding Commissioner Lesie Cardwell, former Eastern District Commissioner Ronnie Leckbee, and former Western District Commissioner Luther Green. Leckbee and Green officially left office at midnight on Dec. 31, 2024, just two days after the lawsuit was filed.
The lawsuit, filed Dec. 29, 2024, on the one-year anniversary of Gilbert’s termination, alleges workplace harassment, misconduct, retaliation, and wrongful termination. The firing occurred in a split vote, with Cardwell and Leckbee voting for Gilbert’s dismissal and Green voting against it.
These allegations were first reported by The Edina Sentinel in January 2024, including claims of a hostile work environment and potential legal violations tied to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) documentation.
Nine days before the lawsuit was filed, Cardwell and Leckbee addressed the allegations during a year-end interview with The Edina Sentinel. Cardwell denied bullying Gilbert or other individuals in the courthouse, while Leckbee stated he had never witnessed Cardwell acting aggressively. Green reiterated that he wasn’t paying attention during the alleged confrontation where Gilbert claimed Cardwell physically threatened her. He also expressed uncertainty about the veracity of her claims.
The lawsuit, case number 24KN-CC00065, spans 17 pages and includes four exhibits:
Two police reports Gilbert filed against Cardwell in December 2023.
The Jan. 10, 2024, edition of The Edina Sentinel, which covered Gilbert’s allegations in detail.
Minutes from commission meetings, as published in The Edina Sentinel.
FEMA documentation submitted by Gilbert prior to her termination.
Gilbert is represented by attorney Lydia McEvoy of Kansas City. Attorney Ivan Schraeder of St. Louis is expected to represent Knox County, the commission, and the named defendants, though no attorneys had officially filed an entry of appearance as of this publication.
The county’s newly elected commissioners, John Greenley and Bill Whiles, were not named as defendants in the case.
The full video of the year-end interview with the outgoing commissioners is available on The Edina Sentinel’s YouTube channel for public viewing.
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