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Cubs Owner Sued For Harassment Retaliation

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- The owner of the Chicago Cubs, and founder of TD Ameritrade, is being sued by two Nebraska women who are claiming that he fired them from his Omaha-based charity after they complained of sexual harassment.

Patricia Davis and Patricia Duncan filed a federal lawsuit against Joe Ricketts and the Opportunity Education Foundation. The charity provides educational opportunities to children in developing nations.

The lawsuit alleges Ricketts re-hired the charity's chief operating officer shortly after the COO was fired amid the women's complaints. The suit alleges the COO often commented about Davis' legs and cleavage and once putted a golf ball into Duncan's office, saying "I'm trying to get into your hole."

Tom Ricketts, Joe's son, is the chairman of the Cubs and the most visible member of the ownership family.

The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission found reasonable cause of retaliation but not of sexual harassment.

Ricketts' attorney said Wednesday the lawsuit was meritless.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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