client might have an impact on the whole community in some way,” she says. “That made a big impression on me.” That impression carried her through college and into law school. In 2006, she was one of the first people selected for the Gates Public Service Law Program, funded through a gift from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to his father. The birthday gift was five scholarships a year for 80 years. In exchange, the recipients agreed to dedicate the first five years of their career to public service. For Melody, that was a no-brainer.
F
or state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a little flower shop in the Tri-Cities sparked an interest in assembling the new Civil Rights Unit. When Barronelle Stutzman, the 70-year-old grandmother who owns Arlene’s Flowers and Gifts in Richland, refused to provide flowers for a same-sex marriage, Ferguson’s office filed a suit under the state’s anti-discrimination law in 2013. In February, a Benton County Superior Court judge ruled against Stutzman. She is appealing the decision. It was then, Ferguson says, that he realized he was in charge of the biggest law firm in the state, but he didn’t have anyone to pursue affirmative civil rights work. He adds that it was important to him to hire the right person to lead the state’s efforts to protect Washingtonians’ civil liberties. He points to Melody’s record of working as a trial lawyer in the Justice Department, enforcing fair housing and civil enforcement laws. “She’s an intellectual powerhouse, and has demonstrated
“She could be sitting in any office in the country and making a helluva lot more than I’m paying her, but she has a vision for this office.” throughout her professional life a passion for issues related to civil rights,” Ferguson says. “She could be sitting in any office in the country and making a helluva lot more than I’m paying her, but she has a vision for this office.” During her five years with the U.S. Department of Justice, Melody achieved several big victories, but one in particular stands out to her. In 2012, she won a $2 million settlement in a case where a landlord in Bakersfield, California, was accused of sexual harassment. At the time, it was the largest monetary settlement ever secured by the Department of Justice in a sexual harassment suit under the Fair Housing Act. Since accepting the job in her home state, Melody has been reaching out to community groups, businesses and legal aid organizations, gauging the issues facing Washington state’s citizens and what’s currently being done to address them. Some that continue to pop up: housing and employment discrimination. To that end, she filed a lawsuit in October against Spokanearea car salesman Monte Masingale for sexual harassment of his female employees. According to the complaint, Masingale is accused of only considering females for secretarial positions and then making sexual comments, kissing and grabbing them and asking for sex in exchange for the job. “I think there have to be creative ideas around how to make sure everybody, not just large corporations with certain kinds of moneyed interests, can benefit from the law, and that the law still reflects their participation in this community,” Melody says. “It’s up to public interest lawyers and other community partners to make sure our policies are developed and enforced to protect everybody, because laws are not just for people who have lots of resources.” mitchr@inlander.com
2015 th*
ember 24 c e D – 0 3 r e b m ve o N (noon Dec. 24 ) th
pm Mon - Fri 9 am – 3 up to
th
50% SAVINGS
great deals on apparel, and golf equipment
10 rounds of golf for $700 ($950 value)
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE ON-LINE! CDACASINO.COM
IT’S THE MOST
WONDERFUL
SPA TIME AT THE
DECEMBER SPECIALS
$50 service certificates for $25
Massage and Ssakwa’q’n Facial $135 Massage and Seasons Pedicure $115 Ssakwa’q’n Facial and Seasons Pedicure $115 BABOR ReVersive Facial Special $80
Worley, Idaho | 1 800 523-2464 | CDACASINO.COM
DECEMBER 17, 2015 INLANDER 19