There is evidence that the wife of embattled Cleveland Heights’ Mayor Kahlil Seren "cursed, screamed, and was otherwise inappropriate and unprofessional," but her behavior did not create an "unlawful hostile work environment" at City Hall because she did not target anyone, according to an investigation released Tuesday.
The report, paid for by the city and completed by the law firm Mansour Gavin, outlines the findings of interviews and surveillance video reviewed in connection with a human resources complaint filed in April against the mayor’s wife, Natalie McDaniel.
The employee told investigators McDaniel shouted and used profanity during a March 13 incident that left the employee uncomfortable, trembling and concerned for her safety, according to the report.
The report did not fully exonerate McDaniel and Seren. It found that employees did have legitimate concerns about McDaniel’s presence and language, and Seren and McDaniel created a “very uncomfortable work environment” and failed to explain why McDaniel was in the office.
Employees could feel intimidated by the mayor’s wife’s continual presence, it said.
“Compounding the problem is the fact that Ms. McDaniel was observed and heard to be loud, cursing or, at times, interjecting herself in... meetings,” according to the report.
Investigators also did not fully validate the allegations against McDaniel. They wrote surveillance video contradicted parts of the claim made by the city staffer, including that McDaniel walked by the employee's office repeatedly, acting aggressively.
The report concluded the mayor’s wife should not be a regular visitor to the mayor’s office and recommended that the mayor refrain from involving his wife in the workplace. It also said that “employee uncertainty or perceived inappropriateness has been temporarily remedied” since McDaniel stopped coming into the office in March.
The embattled mayor has been at the center of controversy since May when a former city employee filed a separate civil rights complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and then sued, alleging Seren enabled a hostile work environment.
The report released Tuesday does not address the allegations in the civil rights complaints or the lawsuit filed.
In the civil rights complaint and the lawsuit, the former special assistant to the mayor, Patrick Costigan, said the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel, made antisemitic comments while acting as a de facto representative of the mayor.
Seren has previously denied the accusation of antisemitism. In May, he posted a 15-minute video to social media responding to the allegations, where he denounced antisemitism and defended his wife.
On Friday, he said in a statement that he was the victim of political opposition rooted in racial prejudice.
Seren confirmed Monday he will not run for reelection because he did not collect enough valid signatures to qualify for the September mayoral primary ballot.
On Friday, Cleveland Heights' city council unanimously passed a resolution calling for an outside investigation into Seren and called on him to resign. Earlier this month, some residents launched a petition to recall the mayor from office, citing the allegations of antisemitism, high staff turnover and the submission of an incomplete 2025 budget, which the petition says lacked required information for city council to review.
Seren said Tuesday he will not resign before his term ends in December.
