Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, said Wednesday he has agreed to take a leave of absence through Jan. 26 in response to sexual misconduct allegations.
“I am deeply disappointed that I was forced into this action without any due process, which is counter to the very essence of two significant pillars of our American society — fairness and justice,” Mendoza said in a statement.
“It was my hope that the Senate and Senate Rules Committee would have afforded me the opportunity to clear my name and, until that opportunity arose, treated me with the same standards applied to other senators similarly accused.
“This action today has set a dangerous precedent in that any legislator can be faced with any accusation from anyone and be subjected to a harsh penalty without the benefit of presenting his/her side of the story. I am hopeful that the Senate will be able to see the issue as important to its institutional credibility and sense of fairness.”
Mendoza pledged to cooperate “with the investigation with the intent of clearing my name. I intend to return to again fully representing my constituents no later than Feb. 1, 2018, including my committee chairmanship and membership.
“I want to assure my constituents that in this period though Jan. 26, 2018, I will continue to provide them with the full measure of service through the district and Capitol offices and their staffs, and to advocate on their behalf through pending and future legislation,” Mendoza said.
“My goal continues to be to fight to bring state programs and resources to my constituents to improve their overall quality of life.”
Mendoza said he made the decision after a four-hour closed session with Senate Democrats who were considering a rare vote of suspension because of concern over allegations that he harassed three former aides.
Sen. Andy Vidak, R-Hanford, who introduced a resolution Wednesday to have Mendoza expelled from the Senate, said in a statement, “After four hours of horse trading in the Senate Democrat caucus, the only thing that Californians get is Mendoza agreeing to take a vacation? That’s it? All too typical for the mighty California State Senate these days.”
Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, said last month he asked Mendoza to take a leave of absence, but Mendoza declined. De Leon has said he was “deeply troubled by the quantity and specificity” of the accusations against Mendoza.
According to the Los Angeles Times, three former Mendoza employees claim they were fired after going to their supervisors with concerns about Mendoza’s behavior toward a 23-year-old fellow. One former employee contended that Mendoza invited the fellow to his house to work on her resume and invited her to stay with him at his hotel during a political event.
The Sacramento Bee reported that a 19-year-old intern came forward with allegations that Mendoza gave her alcohol in an Anaheim hotel room during a 2008 political convention. The paper also reported that a former aide accused Mendoza of sending her after-hours text messages and inviting her to private meals and a weekend political event in Pebble Beach, even though she was married.
Both papers reported Wednesday that Adriana Ruelas, a former aide to Mendoza, filed a written complaint alleging she was discriminated against and harassed by the Senator, and that she was wrongly fired when she complained.
Ruelas’ complaint was filed with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which reviewed the allegations and closed the case, meaning she is free to file a lawsuit, The Times reported.
According to the complaint, David Pacheco, the former director of the Senate Fellows Program, warned Ruelas that Mendoza had “issues with women” and he advised her to “watch out” for a Senate fellow in her 20s who had been assigned to Mendoza’s office, according to The Times.
–City News Service