More than two years after an incident at Grandview Golf Course pushed York County into the national spotlight, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has closed the discrimination case.
Karen Crosby, Carolyn Dow, Sandra Harrison, Myneca Ojo and Sandra Thompson said they faced racism and sexism on April 21, 2018, when former York County Commissioner Steve Chronister called 911 twice on them for allegedly violating course rules and golfing too slowly.
The five women say they were traumatized by what happened to them that day, and Chronister has repeatedly rejected all claims of racism and sexism.
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The agency in January sided with the women and found probable cause of racism and sexism in the case.
That probable cause finding stands, despite some current and former state employees last week claiming that commission investigations are "fixed."
A deeper look: 'Investigations are fixed': State employees say Human Relations Commission biased, unfair
The decision to close the case comes two months after the parties declined a conciliation meeting to reach settlement terms. The commission in February said the issue would move to its assistant chief counsel for review and possible placement on the public hearing docket.
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In addition to moving toward a public hearing, the state Human Relations Commission could also issue a right to sue, close the case or hand it over the case to a federal agency.
The agency late last week sent letters to those involved in the case, explaining it was closed.
"The Commission was unable to eliminate the unlawful discriminatory practice complained of in the Complaint by conference, conciliation or persuasion. The Commission decided to refrain from holding a public hearing in this case," the letter said.
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Chronister, who said the commission was corrupt, called for a public hearing months ago and said he was eager for the truth to come out.
"Closing a case is one thing, giving us our due justice is another," Chronister said Monday.
The five women did not comment on the commission's decision to close the case.
Closing the case enables the women to sue in court, having exhausted their options within the top civil rights agency in the state.
"The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act provides that Complainant may bring an action in the courts of common pleas of the Commonwealth based on the right to freedom from discrimination granted by the Act. This action must be brought within two years of the date of this notice," said a closure letter dated April 22, 2020.
All five women last week filed lawsuits against Chronister, Grandview, Jordan Chronister, Marc Bower and Brian Polachek. Ojo and Crosby on April 20 filed in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg, citing conspiracy to violate constitutional rights, breach of contract and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Harrison and Dow on April 21 filed a similar lawsuit in federal court, and Thompson started a case in the York County Court of Common Pleas.
More: 'We’re ready to bring this to some sort of closure:' Women sue in Grandview Golf Club case
“When this man saw us, he saw two things: He saw us being African-American, and he saw us being an all-women group being on the golf course,” Ojo said last week. “I don’t want anyone else to have that feeling that they are unwelcome any place in this country.”
“We’re ready to bring this to some sort of closure. It’s been going on for two years, and it has greatly impacted our lives in many ways,” Crosby said last week. “We’re just looking to move forward and go back to some sort of normalcy for our everyday lives.”
Steve Chronister on Monday said he has not received any copies of the lawsuits filed by the women and he intends to pursue a case against the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
"They decided on no public hearing after fixing their investigation against us and fixing other. It was corrupt from the very start," he said. "How is this different from fixing a horse race or fixing a lottery?"
Chronister has asked county and state officials to call for an investigation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. So far, nobody has taken up that task.
"Who do we go to for being discriminated against by the PHRC?" Chronister said. "Who's going to stand up for us?"
Candy Woodall is a reporter for the USA Today Network. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.
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Grandview golf discrimination case is closed, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission says - York Daily Record
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