On Feb. 18, Kraiberg held a public hearing regarding a 3 a.m. liquor license for the Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Road in the city’s Grove neighborhood. Some neighbors complained of “excessive noise” from bands playing at the venue and a smaller club next door called the Demo, according to the suit.

Kraiberg declined to rule that day, instead scheduling another hearing “to allow for the presentation of additional evidence,” the suit says.

A few days later, Kraiberg was called into a meeting in the mayor’s office with city operations director Todd Waelterman, deputy director Patrick Brown, mayoral aide Josh Wiese, and Joshua Kremer, a program specialist in Gray’s office.

There, the suit says, Kraiberg was “upbraided.”

Waelterman “adamantly complained” that there was no reason not to issue the license, the suit says. He asked for a transcript of discussion at the public hearing.

Two days later, Kraiberg was again called into the mayor’s office. After some back-and-forth, Kraiberg said according to the suit, “it was not appropriate for the mayor’s office to review his decisions or attempt to direct his decisions.”

About a week later, Gray fired Kraiberg.