Kansas City Moves to Pay $900,000 to Settle Lawsuit Over Harrison Butker Post

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, is moving to authorize a $900,000 settlement with former social media manager April Leonard over a lawsuit alleging discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment, according to TheStreet. The settlement would be paid from the city's Public Official Liability Fund.
The dispute traces back to May 2024, when the city's official X account posted, "Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of Lee's Summit," days after the Chiefs kicker's controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College. The post was deleted and the city apologized, saying it was shared in error. The employee responsible was later fired, KCTV5 reported.
Leonard says she did not write or publish the post. Her lawsuit alleges that she was wrongly associated with it, faced harassment serious enough that she needed to stay in a hotel for security, and that the city did not publicly clarify she was not responsible. Those claims are allegations and have not been established as findings against the city, and a settlement does not establish that they were proven.
Councilwoman Melissa Robinson said, "When you look at the expenditures that have been made for discrimination, it's alarming, it's troubling," according to FOX4KC. The city manager said the city is reviewing its training and practices.
Other recent settlements:
- May 2026: $500,000 with former Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Director Andrea Dorch
- August 2025: $900,000 with former Assistant City Manager Kerrie Tyndall