© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cordish Hits Back Against Discrimination Allegations At Power & Light

Hundreds turn out at the Kansas City Power and Light District to watch David Cook face David Archuleta in the America Idol final.
Maria Carter
/
KCUR
Hundreds turn out at the Kansas City Power and Light District to watch David Cook face David Archuleta in the America Idol final.

The Cordish Companies, owners and operators of the Power & Light District in Kansas City, are alleging a Kansas lawyer conspired to extort “large amounts of money” from Cordish as part of  race discrimination lawsuit against the company.

In a racketeering lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., Cordish further alleges Dickens Law LLC, principal Linda Dickens and attorney Austin Johnston engaged in witness tampering, and that Linda Dickens either deliberately or recklessly lied to the news media .

The allegations stem from actions taken by Dickens and her firm in the course of representing a client – a Cordish employee —  with claims of racial discrimination and wrongful termination.

A statement from Cordish Wednesday says the employee was fired because of an altercation that occurred on company property and an ensuing police report.

“We subsequently received numerous threats and demands,” the Cordish statement continues, “ that contained false and malicious statements about us and our businesses that focused on promises to use the press to embarrass us and damage our reputation.”

Attempts to reach the Dickens law firm this afternoon were unsuccessful.

As Kansas City grows and diversifies, journalists need to listen to the people, to your challenges and successes..As engagement and solutions editor, I’ll make sure we’re framing stories based on what we hear from you, and we’ll partner with communities so our stories help us understand and connect to one another. Email me at lauraz@kcur.org.
No matter what happens in Washington D.C., Kansas City needs KCUR. And KCUR needs you.

Our ability to report local news — accurate, independent and paywall-free — depends on you. Donate now to support fact-based news.