Neenah City Attorney David Rashid made an initial court appearance on charges he sexually assaulted his wife, May 13, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Neenah city attorney David Rashid will be reinstated, more than three months after he was placed on administrative leave following sexual assault charges being filed against him.
In a news release Friday, the city said Rashid will return to his role, effective Monday, “after an extensive internal personnel investigation found no violations pertaining to matters of the workplace.”
Rashid was charged April 30 with two counts of domestic abuse third-degree sexual assault and one count of domestic abuse fourth-degree sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. No trial date has been set.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation started with an anonymous email to police last summer accusing Rashid of abusing his ex-wife. The woman, who denied sending the email, told investigators Rashid had nonconsensual sexual contact with her on several occasions, beginning in 2017.
Rashid told his wife he didn’t need consent because she granted it when they got married, the complaint quotes the victim as saying. Online court records indicate their divorce was finalized earlier this year.
Rashid returns to court Monday for a motions hearing.
The full statement from the city of Neenah is as follows:
The City of Neenah announces its intent to reinstate City Attorney David Rashid on August 5, 2024, after an extensive internal personnel investigation found no violations pertaining to matters of the workplace.
On April 30, 2024, criminal charges were filed against the City’s inhouse City Attorney, David Rashid based upon allegations involving an alleged dispute between Mr. Rashid and his former wife. The charges did not involve other individuals and did not involve the City of Neenah or Mr. Rashid’s work for the City.
Based upon the filing of charges, the City placed Mr. Rashid on paid administrative leave pending further review of the criminal charges and for the purposes of performing a personnel investigation. The City has fully cooperated with the Portage County District Attorney’s Office which is handling the criminal matter.
In the course of performing the personnel investigation, the Portage County District Attorney’s Office has elected not to provide the City of Neenah with any information regarding the investigation leading to the filing of the criminal charges. In absence of information from that office, the City further engaged in its own comprehensive investigation involving interviews with many individuals who may have had information regarding this circumstance.
While the District Attorney may have other information, the City’s investigation did not find evidence to support a finding that Mr. Rashid was or is a danger to others, or that he is unable at this time to perform his duties as a City Attorney. Based upon the City’s investigation, and the lack of any further evidence from the District Attorney’s Office to support the criminal charges, the City is returning Mr. Rashid to work removing him from paid administrative leave. The City has reserved the right to reconsider its decision should other facts come forward, or other developments occur in the criminal proceeding which substantially relate to Mr. Rashid’s employment as City Attorney.
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