ADVISORY/African-American Secret Service Agents File Class Action Discrimination Complaint in Federal Court Against Department of the Treasury

Business Wire, May 2, 2000

News & Assignment Editors/Government Writers

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (May 3)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

What:     Press conference to announce the filing of a major class
          action discrimination complaint in the United States
          District Court for the District of Columbia against the
          Department of the Treasury on behalf of former and present
          African-American Special Agents of the Secret Service.
          Seven of the ten class action plaintiffs will appear at
          the press conference. They have held some of the most
          prestigious posts in the Secret Service, including key
          posts on the Presidential and Vice Presidential Protective
          Details.

When:     9:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 3, 2000

When:     National Press Club
          529 14th Street, N.W.
          Washington, D.C.
          202/662-7500

Who:      Special Agent Reginald G. Moore
          Special Agent John E. Turner
          Special Agent C. Yvette Summerour
          Special Agent Cheryl L. Tyler
          Special Agent Luther K. Ivery
          Special Agent Robert J. Moore
          Special Agent Jenell Walker Clark

          Co-lead Counsel for plaintiffs: David J. Shaffer and
           John R. Relman
          Phone: David Shaffer: 202/508-4135;
                 John Relman:   202/728-1888

In Brief: Ten former and current African-American Special Agents of
          the U.S. Secret Service will file a class action complaint
          Wednesday morning in federal district court in Washington,
          D.C. on behalf of all current and former Special Agents who
          have been employed by the Secret Service from Jan. 1, 1974
          to the present. The potential class shall encompass almost
          every African-American Special Agent who has ever served in
          the Secret Service.

          The Complaint will allege that, from at least 1974
          forward, the Secret Service has discriminated against
          African-American Special Agents through its personnel
          policies, practices, and procedures. The discriminatory
          practices alleged in the Complaint include discriminatory
          selection for competitive positions; discriminatory
          performance evaluations; discrimination in transfers,
          assignments and in other career enhancing opportunities;
          discriminatory hiring practices; discriminatory testing;
          discriminatory disciplinary policies and practices;
          discrimination in awards and bonuses, and retaliation for
          reporting discrimination. The complaint also accuses the
          Secret Service of maintaining a severe and pervasive
          atmosphere of racial harassment and intimidation toward
          African-Americans within the Secret Service.

          "Documentation exists that representatives of the
          African-American Special Agents had repeatedly raised the
          issue of systematic discrimination within the Secret
          Service, with several Directors of the Secret Service and
          their staff since at least March 26, 1974. The issue of
          systematic discrimination within the Secret Service was
          raised with former Director John W. Magaw in 1992, who
          later became the Director of the Department of Treasury's
          Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which settled a
          similar lawsuit involving substantially the same types of
          claims for $5.9 million in 1996," said David Shaffer,
          partner, Thelen Reid & Priest LLP.

          "The African-American Special Agents refrained from filing
          suit until this time because the Secret Service
          continually offered assurances that their grievances would
          be addressed," said John Relman, co-lead counsel for the
          plaintiffs. "When they were not, the Agents reluctantly
          came to the conclusion that this lawsuit was the only way
          the Secret Service would reform its employment practices."

          The Complaint will ask the court to issue an injunction
          barring the Secret Service from continuing such illegal
          practices and an order requiring the Secret Service to
          reform its employment policies and practices. It will also
          ask the Court to compensate class members for the harm
          they suffered due to discrimination within the Secret
          Service.

          A copy of the complaint and various exhibits will be
          available at the press conference.