‘I was terrified that I was going to lose my job’

Kansas City, Mo. (KCTV) – on Friday, the trial continued in the case alleging that Kansas City The city administrator Brian Platt suggested that the staff lies to the media in 2022. The former media relations manager and the plaintiff, Chris Hernández, are among those who took the position on the four day of testimony.

A jury is listening to the case involving a lawsuit filed by the former communications director of the city, Chris Hernández, against the city in 2022.

The lawsuit accuses the city administrator Brian Platt intentionally and exaggerate the media and the public. Hernández states in the demand that he was degraded and transferred to another department when he withdrew against Platt’s policy.

Maggie Green, the former media relations manager, said she informed Chris Hernández, but also worked closely with the assistant of the city administrator Melissa Kozakiewicz and Platt.

Green testified that it was a difficult time when the city consolidated all communications from different departments to a central communications team. She said morality was low.

Green said he created an internal policy that directed staff in social media practices. He also created a project management calendar so that everyone knows what was expected.

But she said that under Platt, it was difficult to determine what the objectives were. He seemed emotional when he told the Court: “It simply never seemed to be enough.”

Green was also asked about that meeting of January 3, 2022 where the demand said that Platt suggested to lie to the media. The demand said that Platt asked specifically: “Why can’t we lie to the media?”

The lawsuit said, and Green testified in the case, that Platt told a story that in Jersey (his previous work), had a mayor who would only invent numbers on the march, and no journalist called him.

Green testified that it was his understanding that it was “the address” that Platt wanted them to be.

When asked if he believed that Platt was serious, he said it was his understanding that it was a serious conversation. Green testified that Hernández told Platt: “We can’t do that.” There was a little round trip, and the conversation went ahead.

When a lawyer asked him how he felt after the exchange, Green said: “I felt pressure because it was the media relationship manager: conflict, pressure. What did that mean for me and how was I going to handle it?

Green was also interrogated about the discrepancy in the objective of public works and the number of lane miles waiting to resurface in the summer of 2022.

The communications team worked weeks before in new releases and publications on social networks, using 300 miles as a goal. Green testified that he obtained that information from the Department of Public Works. But Platt took a tweet on his personal account using 400 miles as a goal.

“I remember that the city administrator tweeted a number that scared us all,” Green testified. Green said she was worried about having two different numbers.

“What I remember is that this tweet would have come out, which gave Chris a heart attack,” Green said. “We had been preparing these numbers for the press event knowing what I got from public works.”

Green finished his testimony related to what happened when an extended article on the city’s response to Potholes was published in a Sunday edition of the Kansas City star.

Platt was frustrated when the article was published. He thought he needed corrections.

He sent a text message on Sunday to the communications team, ordering a meeting at 9 am on Monday

Green testified that he had worked in that story with star reporters for several weeks, but admitted that he could not control what was finally written. She said she was “terrified” that he was going to lose his job and that he was very nervous about the meeting.

Green said it was “conferences” during the meeting, but that he had contacted the star asking for clarifications.

Green resigned from the city shortly after the incident to take a new position in the private sector, citing family concerns and balance between working life and life.

Three witnesses testified in the afternoon.

The first was Tim Riley, an expert in vocational and employment. He testified that he reviewed Hernández’s qualifications and believed that he was qualified for a series of marketing and communications positions. He also said that the labor market in Kansas City was favorable for someone with Hernández qualifications and experience.