Lee’s Summit official says she was sexually harassed by fellow council member
Lee’s Summit City Council member Faith Hodges said in a social media post and in an interview with The Star that she was sexually harassed by former council member Fred DeMoro and that the situation led to his resignation in late 2024.
Hodges initially made the allegations in a Facebook post last week, saying she would not be voting for council colleague and mayoral candidate Cynda Rader because of her response to the matter. Hodges instead endorsed fellow council member Beto Lopez’s bid for mayor in the April 7 election.
“I encourage everyone to look beyond campaign messaging and really consider the kind of leadership you want representing our community,” Hodges wrote in her post Wednesday. “You may want to rethink who you are voting for. There are a lot of wolves in sheep’s clothing in these races.”
After The Star reached out to DeMoro through Facebook Thursday about Hodges’ allegations, his profile page became unavailable. In response to a follow-up text message Friday, DeMoro said, “Caution is advised on recirculating defamatory and unsubstantiated allegations from social media and other outlets.”
DeMoro did not respond to another follow-up message seeking to clarify his comments.
Rader said in a statement that she had the “highest regard and respect” for Hodges during the years they have served on council together and said she was not involved in the situation.
“Any suggestion that I supported one side or was involved in this matter is simply inaccurate,” she said.
When the city announced DeMoro’s resignation in a brief but complimentary press release in December 2024, DeMoro was said to be stepping down “to prioritize his health and well-being.”
“I have truly enjoyed serving as a Fourth District Council member for the City of Lee’s Summit. It has been rewarding and fulfilling work,” DeMoro said in the news release. “Due to recent health setbacks and medical conditions, I have come to understand that my health and my family must take priority.”
Hodges declined to go into detail, but said DeMoro’s alleged sexual harassment was actually what led to his resignation.
“Over a period of time, while we were serving on council, I experienced a pattern of behavior from Fred that became increasingly inappropriate and crossed professional boundaries,” she told The Star Friday. “It was difficult, particularly because we had developed what I believed was a collegial and trusting working relationship.
“He chose to resign under the guise of so-called health concerns, and I chose to stay quiet, as I did not want to cause drama and feared the backlash from people who wouldn’t believe me,” she said. “For anyone questioning my experience, I guess my question to them would be, ‘Why would he give up a council position that he loved without a fight if he was innocent?’”
Hodges said she reported the matter to city officials and said she did not go to law enforcement as she felt Mayor Bill Baird, City Manager Mark Dunning and City Attorney Brian Head responded to the situation appropriately.
Hodges said she reported the matter in late November to early December, and DeMoro’s resignation letter came shortly after, on Dec. 11, 2024. Hodges said the matter was not made public out of respect for her.
Council member Mia Prier told The Star in a message that she was made aware of concerns regarding DeMoro’s conduct by Hodges, and said she also personally witnessed behavior that she found “inappropriate and concerning.” She said she spoke with DeMoro after one “primary incident” and said he “acknowledged that his behavior had crossed a line and stated that he knew he had taken things too far.”
Prier said she was involved in a review of the situation at that time.
“Out of respect for those involved and the integrity of that process, I’m limited in what I can share publicly about the specifics of the investigation itself,” she said. “I will say that I was very impressed with the way city staff provided support and guidance throughout the situation. They approached it professionally, took the concerns seriously, and worked to ensure the matter was addressed appropriately.”
Baird, the Lee’s Summit mayor, confirmed in an interview that Hodges brought her concerns to him. He in turn brought the allegations to DeMoro, who confirmed “enough” before he declined to talk further and then resigned suddenly, he said.
“It’s her story,” Baird said. “It’s her life, it’s her experience. No one should be questioning it.”
Endorsement
Hodges, who is not running for re-election and whose term on City Council expires next month, said she had not planned to speak publicly about the situation, but after Rader posted a recent social media campaign video that included a brief shot of Rader and DeMoro together at an event, she said she felt a responsibility to share her experience.
Hodges said after she reported her concerns in late 2024, she received support from nearly every member of City Council and city leadership except Rader. She further said she was told that Rader had made dismissive remarks about the situation.
“I was made aware of comments that Cynda made to a fellow council member and some people in the community, such as, ‘It happens to all women,’ and, ‘Well, if this ever even happened to begin with,’” Hodges said. “These comments, I felt, were very dismissive of my experience and questioned my integrity, which was especially discouraging given that we had not spoken directly.”
Hodges said Lopez reached out to her multiple times and was “purely supportive.”
Lopez did not respond to The Star’s request for comment.
Said Hodges: “I do not feel that Cynda is equipped to be the next leader of our city, because if Cynda had been mayor of Lee’s Summit when this happened, I would have been expected to continue working alongside the man who sexually harassed me at council meetings, committee meetings and other required functions, while carrying the discomfort and fear of being in the same room with someone who had crossed those boundaries.”
In her statement, Rader said, “Situations like this are very serious. These matters should be handled thoughtfully through the appropriate channels.”
She said the video that showed her with DeMoro was captured at a public meet and greet event as part of her campaign and said there was “no coordination or involvement beyond that.”
“I will not engage in speculation or mischaracterization,” she said. “My focus remains on serving the people of Lee’s Summit, listening to our residents, and continuing to lead with integrity, respect, and accountability.”
