Theresa Drube of Herington, a former City of Council Grove employee, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the city unlawfully terminated her in retaliation for reporting suspected insurance fraud by another city employee.
The lawsuit, Theresa Drube v. City of Council Grove, Kansas, was filed June 29 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Drube is seeking $75,000 in damages.
According to the complaint, Drube worked as Council Grove’s municipal court clerk and administrative clerk in 2024 when she reported transactions that she believed could constitute insurance fraud within the city government.
Drube alleges that after making the internal report, she was subjected to a hostile work environment and later terminated from her position.
The lawsuit claims the city’s actions violated Drube’s First Amendment right to free speech. Her claim was filed under Section 1983 of the federal Civil Rights Act, which allows individuals to seek damages for alleged violations of constitutional rights by a governmental entity or someone acting under governmental authority.
Drube is seeking compensation for lost wages, emotional distress and the alleged violation of her constitutional rights. She is represented by attorney Chloe Elizabeth Davis of Brumley Law Office.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Powell and referred to U.S. Magistrate Judge Rachel E. Schwartz.
The claims contained in the lawsuit are allegations and have not been proven in court.
The City of Council Grove’s response to the complaint was not available in the information reviewed.