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| California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, a leader of the #MeToo
movement, allegedly stroked a then-25-year-old staffer’s back, tried to
squeeze his buttocks and attempted to grab his crotch as he walked away
from her.
(AP)
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A California Democrat who was featured in Time
magazine’s Person of the Year issue for her role in the anti-sexual
harassment “#MeToo” movement allegedly urged staffers to play the
grade-school classic, “spin the bottle,” after a night of heavy drinking
at a fundraiser, Politico reported Sunday.
David John Kernick, 38, who worked in
Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s office for five months in 2014, filed a
formal complaint with the state, claiming that he was dismissed from
his job for questioning the game.
Kernick told Politico that they played the game after
an evening of heavy drinking. Garcia sat on a floor in a hotel room with
about six people that included staff, he told the magazine.
“It was definitely uncomfortable,’’ Kernick said. “But I
realized it’s different for a man than for a woman. … You know it’s
inappropriate, but at the same time you may wonder, ‘How many women do
you work for that act like that?’ You think … ’Maybe she’s just really
cool.’’’
Last week, Garcia was hit with fresh allegations of
misconduct in her office, including frequent discussions about sex and
alcohol consumption at the Capitol.
San Diego lawyer Dan Gilleon filed a formal complaint
with the Legislature detailing the allegations on behalf of four
anonymous former employees in Garcia’s office.
He said they will cooperate with an investigation but do not want their names to be public at this time for fear of retribution.
The complainants allege
that Garcia regularly talked about her sexual activity, including with
other members, in front of staff. They also allege Garcia drank alcohol
while doing official Assembly business and pressured staff to join her
in drinking at the office or at bars.
The allegations came as Garcia is on a leave of absence
following news she is being investigated in the groping of a former
male legislative staff member in 2014.
None of the new complaints involve sexual misconduct,
but Gilleon said the former employees considered Garcia’s frequent talk
about sex a form sexual harassment.
“My clients will vigorously defend what they have said,
but I will insist that the Assembly takes serious steps to ensure their
protection against reprisal,” Gilleon said in a letter he delivered to
the Assembly Rules Committee after a press conference on the Capitol
steps.
Garcia, in a Facebook post, said she will address each
of the issues individually once an investigation has been completed. But
she said the claims don’t square with the atmosphere she worked to
create. Her current and former chiefs of staff denied the behaviors
described in the letter.
“I am confident I have consistently treated my staff
fairly and respectfully. In a fast-paced legislative office, not
everyone is the right fit for every position, and I do understand how a
normal employment decision could be misinterpreted by the individual
involved in that decision,” Garcia wrote.
Garcia took a leave of absence Friday after news broke
that Daniel Fierro, a former staffer in another office, alleged she
rubbed his back, grabbed his buttocks and tried to grab his groin at a
legislative softball game in 2014. She denies the claims.
The allegations against Garcia mark a stunning twist to
the California Legislature’s widening sexual harassment scandal that
first broke open last fall and prompted two male assemblymen to resign.
Garcia, a Democrat who represents southeast Los Angeles, chaired the
Legislative Women’s Caucus until Wednesday, when her colleagues
installed Democratic Assemblywoman Susan Eggman of Stockton, as the
interim chair.
Garcia has been one of the most vocal critics against
her colleagues and a staunch advocate of the #MeToo movement. She has
authored numerous bills about sexual assault, activity and consent.
Tim Reardon, Garcia’s former chief of staff, said he
never heard or was told that Garcia was discussing her sexual activities
in the office. He said alcohol is occasionally present at the Capitol
but drinking is never excessive.
“There are times in a lot of offices where someone will
have wine or that nature,” he said. “But there has never been excessive
drinking like it’s some kind of drinking party.”
The letter also alleges Garcia asked her staff to
perform personal duties, such as taking care of her dogs, as well as
campaign activities for her and other lawmakers. It alleges Garcia was
“vindictive” toward staff and frequently disparaged other lawmakers.
Ashley Labar, her current chief of staff, denied the allegations.
“I’ve never seen the member engage in the behavior listed in the letter by Mr. Gilleon,” she said.
