A woman from Philadelphia has initiated a civil lawsuit against Brendan Killackey, a former field operative for Barack Obama’s campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee (DNC), claiming that Killackey engaged in grooming and sexual assault when she was just 16 years old and volunteering for the campaign.
The woman, whose identity has been kept confidential under a pseudonym, alleges that the incidents took place in 2012 when she was a high school junior and Killackey was 38. He was actively working for the Obama campaign in the Bucks County area at the time, where she was recruited as an unpaid ‘organizing fellow.’ Her commitment to the campaign typically involved anywhere from 10 to 30 hours of work per week.
According to the lawsuit, Killackey exhibited a notably keen interest in her from the outset, being described as openly flirtatious and complimentary.
In an incident from June 2012, she alleges that during a ride home with him, Killackey pulled over and began touching her leg, asking if she was ‘wet,’ while also showing signs of sexual arousal. Following this encounter, he began giving her gifts and sought to arrange more rides, leading to further inappropriate behaviors.
On one occasion, she claims Killackey drove her to a secluded area near a basketball court where he started ‘heavy touching and kissing.’
The lawsuit states that in July 2012, she was taken to Killackey’s apartment where he allegedly had sexual intercourse with her without a condom, despite her hesitation and request for him to slow down.
Her testimony indicates that she felt threatened and confused during this encounter, particularly when Killackey dismissed her fears by calling her a ‘silly little girl.’
It is further alleged that Killackey continued to provide her with alcohol in an attempt to coax her into engaging in non-consensual sexual acts, which included bondage and scenarios involving role-playing as a younger girl.
The woman describes instances where Killackey would demand she dress like a schoolgirl and pretend to be younger than she was, referring to her in demeaning terms like ‘Daddy’s good little girl.’
She claims that the alleged abuse persisted throughout 2013, further impacting her mental health and well-being.
In the years following these events, she sought therapy to address issues such as panic attacks and eating disorders, which she attributes to her experiences with Killackey.
By 2019, she felt compelled to reach out to him via email, expressing the long-lasting psychological and emotional damage that their relationship had inflicted on her.
In her email, she described herself as a ‘confused child’ during their interactions, reflecting on her need for affection and understanding, which she felt was not provided by her parents.
She conveyed the notion that their relationship distorted her self-image and understanding of her own sexuality, expressing regret for not speaking out at the time to receive help.
Killackey’s response to her email acknowledged the impact of their past relationship and indicated that he had been reflective about their connection, stating, ‘You matter to me.’
In the lawsuit’s claims against Killackey, he is accused of sexual assault and battery, aggravated indecent assault, harassment, unwanted touching, invasions of privacy, and causing mental anguish and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In addition to Killackey, the DNC is also targeted in the suit, as the plaintiff argues that the organization failed to ensure her safety while she was affiliated with the campaign.
She asserts that there were other adults in the campaign office who must have been aware of Killackey’s inappropriate attention towards her, suggesting a greater systemic failure to protect vulnerable young volunteers.
Moreover, the lawsuit claims that there had been earlier complaints regarding Killackey’s conduct, indicating that the office had knowledge of his unprofessional and inappropriate behavior prior to her involvement.
The woman is seeking unspecified damages as a remedy for the alleged violations and the subsequent trauma she endured.
To date, neither Brendan Killackey nor the Democratic National Committee has publicly responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit and its serious allegations.
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