However, city officials claim that Kohut’s original email, also provided to the Herald, said, “Word is that the current administration is promoting 2 Sergeants to Lieutenant later today. … Effectively preventing [Chernaski] from becoming a Lieutenant. … Here however, the current administration will now be able to appoint 2 new Sergeants. Just more friends and family! 14 more days…”

Rothstein declined to provide the Herald with copies of emails cited in the lawsuit, and also declined to comment on how or when they were obtained.

“All I can say at this point is that we stand by the emails, and we look forward to conducting discovery,” he said. “If the City of Long Beach wishes to seek an investigation, that’s fine by me.”