Jackson County finds Manny Abarca’s conduct toward staff likely ‘inappropriate’
As if Jackson County Legislator Manuel “Manny” Abarca IV’s year wasn’t bad enough, now comes the result of an independent investigation saying that Abarca “more likely than not” engaged in “inappropriate behavior” toward county employees.
Abarca, in a written statement on Friday, called the “so-called ‘investigation’” a case of “political maneuvering” by the Jackson County Executive Frank White, aimed at discrediting his political opponents and distracting from county problems.
“I am disappointed but not surprised by the recent leak of the so-called ‘investigation,’” Abarca wrote, “initiated under County Executive Frank White’s administration. This is part of a continuing pattern of political maneuvering by Mr. White and his Chief of Staff, Caleb Clifford, who routinely attempts to distract the public from the real issues facing Jackson County.”
“I fully participated in this unsubstantiated and unfounded ‘hostile work environment’ inquiry. . .It is not beyond me to reflect that only two legislators are currently being ‘investigated’ by the County Executive, both of whom have been outspoken critics of his administration and strong supporters of the recall effort.”
The letter regarding the investigation, dated Sept. 22, and signed by Jackson County Counselor Bryan Covinksy, comes six months after White, the county executive, called on Abarca to be investigated based on allegations that Abarca had mistreated county employees.
“This letter summarizes the results of the investigation,” it begins, then goes on to say that third-party investigators “worked diligently to thoroughly review submitted evidence, recordings of meeting (sic), witness statements.”
It concludes: “The totality of the evidence submitted supports that it is more likely than not that inappropriate behavior occurred.”
The letter says, “Recommendations have been made to address and correct the behavior in an effort to ensure that similar incidents do not reoccur.”
The letter also comes weeks after three female employees with Jackson County sent Abarca, on Sept. 2, a cease and desist letter, saying the Abarca had been “continually harassing these female leaders based on gender and age” and had made threats against their employment.
The letter, which The Star obtained through an open records request under the Missouri Sunshine Law, was initiated by Parks & Recreation Director Michele Newman, Communications Director Angela Jeffries and Assessor Gail McCann Beatty.
“Mr. Abarca has been heard to threaten that, ‘if Frank (White) is voted out,’ then (Newman, Jeffries or Beatty) will be gone next,” that letter read “Mr. Abarca has referenced utilizing the pretext of the ‘budgeting process’ for accomplishing such illegal terminations.”
Abarca and Frank White at odds
White and Abarca have been at odds over issues since Abarca was elected to represent Jackson County’s First District in Kansas City and took office in January 2023.
White, himself, is also facing troubles. Public dissatisfaction with his county leadership has so grown since he first took office in 2016 that on Sept. 30, the county executive — who is also a former member of the Kansas City Royals 1985 World Series team, and a member of the team’s Hall of Fame — is facing a recall vote.
White, on Friday, emailed a statement regarding the Abarca matter.
“I am saddened, though unfortunately not surprised, to learn of the inappropriate behavior that our associates have been forced to endure,” White wrote. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful work environment, and this report makes clear that we still have work to do.”
Abarca, in his response, insists that the investigation was launched without proper authority, and that White hand-picked the investigative firm, costing taxpayers $25,000 in a no-bid contract, which he called, “an abuse of process.”
“Despite these tactics, I remain steadfast in my commitment to Jackson County residents,” Abarca wrote. “I will not be bullied into silence by intimidation or retaliation. I will continue to shine a light on mismanagement, challenge poor decision-making, and fight for accountability at every level of county government.”
The current matter began on March 26, when White, in a letter to Abarca and the eight other elected legislators, said he was initiating a “comprehensive, independent investigation” of Abarca.
He declared it an “emergency,” a move that allowed him to hire an outside investigator without first receiving approval from the county legislators.
Abarca is part of a cohort of legislators that has been at odds with White over various county issues.
In the letter, White wrote:
“Over the past several months, my office has received numerous reports from associates describing unprofessional, hostile, and demeaning conduct by Legislator Manuel Abarca. These concerns came to a head this past weekend, when one of our associates received an email from Legislator Abarca that was both inappropriate and threatening.”
He wrote that the message included “personal attacks, demands unrelated to the associate’s responsibilities, and an explicit threat to pursue the elimination of her role through the County’s budget process.”
Abarca says complaints overblown
Abarca, at the time, welcomed the investigation, characterizing the complaints as overblown.
“I think he intentionally wants to create this idea that I’m this terrible person, and therefore all of my actions are motivated and predicated off of being upset at staff and harassing them,” Abarca told The Star at the time.
Abarca at that time shared an email thread with an employee that he claimed sparked the investigation. It involved his demand and frustration regarding the creation of a Micrsoft Teams link that would allow an individual to appear via video before the Public Works Committee that Abarca chaired.
The email shared by Abarca, which includes uncorrected grammatical and spelling errors, reads:
“I would like to request a stagnant link for every meeting. We are all professionals here and it is ridiculous that elected members of the legislature have to beg for a basic operational functions.
“(Employee name), if you and your staff want to continue to be difficult every step of the way for basic functions of operations than it is clear that we, the legislature need to make a change and eliminate the necessity of your staff’s involvement in our legislative meeting.”
“I am exhausted by it being so challenge to the execute basic operations and in no government I have worked in yet has leadership been so challenging and disrespectful to elected officials. I don’t need you to remind me when my meeting is, I need you to make sure any one of us, at any point has a functioning link to log in to a meeting and that if I chose to have a presentation I don’t need a week’s notice to plug it in. If you can’t figure out a change in approach, I will gladly ensure changes are made through this cursory budget process.
“Save any response for a meeting in person if you desire.
“Thanks, Manny Abarca.”
Abarca has faced other troubles this year.
Absconding with his child, domestic violence
Less than three months after the investigation was announced, Abarca’s issue at work were overshadowed by troubles at home.
In late May, Abarca’s ex-wife, Alexis Garcia, revealed that her husband had absconded with their then 2-year-old son after an argument and had not been seen for five days.
“I am just desperate for my son,” Garcia texted The Star at the time. She then went on Facebook with a plea to the public.
“I am asking for help as a mother that is desperate to get her son back,” she wrote.
She filed a police report. The Shawnee Police Department issued an alert, and Abarca and his son were listed as missing persons on the Kansas Bureau of Investigation website.
On June 4, Abarca was arrested.
“My son is now safe and home with me,” Garcia told The Star then.
Abarca was charged in Johnson County with misdemeanor domestic violence for “unlawfully and knowingly” causing “physical contact with a person in a rude, insulting, or angry manner.”
He and Garcia had been in a fight on May 29. Abarca had allegedly thrown his wife to the ground during an argument, charging documents said, that led to her asking a judge to impose a restraining order against him.
In an interview with The Star, following his arrest, Abarca denied hitting his wife during an argument in front of his father’s house.
“It is not within my character to hit my wife,” Abarca said then. “To hit anyone is not within my character.”
The case is ongoing, A hearing in Johnson County Court is scheduled for Oct. 1, records show.
This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 5:36 PM.
