California Democrat and her top employee reprimanded for alleged sexual harassment

A California assemblywoman and her chief of staff were reprimanded for sexual harassment on Thursday after a workplace investigation substantiated claims that the lawmaker inappropriately hugged one and the aide made unwanted sexual comments toward two unidentified employees.

One person reported to the Legislature’s Workplace Conduct Unit that Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, had insisted on a “two-arm hug” during a breakfast and another hug and a kiss “on the cheek” during a dinner, according to heavily redacted documents sent on Friday to the press. The documents do not say when the interactions occurred.

The same person also alleged Carillo’s chief of staff, George Esparza, made unwanted sexual comments, including, “You gotta know where the girls are at” and “Are you done masturbating?” Another person alleged Esparza inappropriately commented about the person’s appearance.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, formally rebuked the two in letters after the investigation deemed the alleged “unwanted” behavior likely occurred.

“During the course of the investigation, the investigator was given access to all requested witnesses and documents,” Rendon’s letter to Carrillo included. “After considering all of the allegations and facts, the panel found that you did hug and kiss, on the cheek (the individual).”

Rendon’s second letter stated Esparza had likely “on two occasions, made inappropriate sexual comments.”

Carrillo and Esparza did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The two were both ordered to training or coaching on “appropriate workplace conduct.”

The Legislature agreed to begin releasing investigation records if claims were deemed substantiated in response to demands from journalists during the Me Too movement for a more transparent system for releasing redacted records. Since then, reporters are alerted to closed and validated investigations by the Assembly and Senate’s Rules committees.

A coalition of nearly 150 women in California politics also wrote a letter in October 2017 calling for a cultural change in the Capitol to end a pattern of “dehumanizing behavior by men with power in our workplaces.”

Three lawmakers resigned in late 2017 and early 2018 amid accusations and investigations into alleged sexual harassment. The state Senate confirmed a $310,000 settlement agreement with a whistleblower on Thursday who alleged Sen. Tony Mendoza, one of the legislators who resigned, had sexually harassed a young woman fellow in 2017.

This story was originally published February 7, 2020 at 2:41 PM.