Just hours after Newark Mayor Raz Baraka endorsed Democrat Mikie Sherrill for governor Wednesday, news broke of sexual harassment allegations by a former city cop against him and other top Newark officials.

Laura Ciesla, who served as a Newark police officer between 2018 and 2024, filed a federal lawsuit last month accusing Baraka of making unwanted advances like flirtatious messages, requests for explicit photos, and invitations for spa dates that she rejected.

Cecila also accused male colleagues within the police department of similar behavior and claims she was unfairly punished for testing positive on a drug test for a prescribed painkiller, despite alerting supervisors of the prescription.

Cecila said she reported the harassment to department higher-ups and the police union, but got no help.

She's seeking compensation and punitive damages.

Kenyatta Stewart, counsel for the city, said in a statement, "The city completely denies the allegations "in the complaint against the mayor."

And given that this is the first notice on all allegations against the mayor and members of the Newark Police Division, the city will be conducting a full-fledged investigation into this matter.

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