A state lawmaker is suing the nonprofit she created. Here’s why.

Tarra Simmons, Washington’s first formerly incarcerated lawmaker, is suing the nonprofit she created.

The organization fired Simmons in July, as KUOW first reported.

Lawyers for Rep. Simmons, a Democrat from Bremerton, filed the legal complaint in King County Superior Court Tuesday, alleging the Civil Survival Project wrongfully terminated Simmons after breaching her employment contract and refusing to provide disability accommodations.

Simmons founded the group in 2015 to provide advocacy and legal support for people recently released from prison. In a press release, her lawyers write that the organization “turned against her” after a change in leadership.

Simmons directed a request for comment to her lawyers, who did not grant an interview for this story.

“They’ve canceled me from my own organization that I birthed and grew,” Simmons said in July. “I do think at the root of it is people who are wanting more power, and all the money I’ve raised.”

At the core of the new lawsuit are Simmons’ allegations that the organization refused to provide “reasonable disability accommodations” for her post-traumatic stress disorder, and that the nonprofit fired her as a form of retaliation to her attempts to receive those accommodations.

The lawsuit also alleges that the group breached Simmons’ employment contract by employing legislative lobbyists while she served as a member in the Legislature. (Simmons won re-election to her position representing the 23rd district in November.)

The lawsuit says the nonprofit also breached Simmons’ contract by failing to provide her adequate notice – and the opportunity to fix problems that could lead to her firing – before the group terminated her employment.

“Our priority right now is the same as it always is – restoring opportunity to communities harmed by the criminal legal system,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday. “We continue to stand by the letters issued by the entirety of our staff and our board after Tarra’s termination.”

In an open letter written in response to KUOW’s earlier reporting, staff said they were “deeply saddened” by the situation becoming public. The letter went on to allege Simmons threatened staffers’ jobs, misused her influence as a state lawmaker, and “threatened to cut funding” for the organization.

The board of directors’ own statement at the time also highlighted those concerns from staff and rejected Simmons’ claims of discrimination.

“Tarra’s departure is a result of repeated violations of our organizational policies and conduct standards,” the board’s letter said. “Prior to Tarra’s termination, the board commissioned two third-party investigations to ensure a thorough evaluation of the facts.”

KUOW's Amy Radil contributed reporting.