A big advocate of the #MeToo movement now faces her own sexual misconduct allegations
It's a familiar story by this point — a powerful lawmaker is accused of groping aides and making sexually inappropriate comments, denies the allegations, faces more corroborated accusations — but this time there's a little twist: She's a fairly prominent voice in the #MeToo movement, featured in Time's "The Silence Breakers" spread. After the second batch of allegations surfaced last week, California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D) took voluntary unpaid leave while the state legislature investigates the sexual harassment allegations.
The first public allegation against Garcia was from Daniel Fierro, a former staffer for Assemblyman Ian Calderon (D), who told Politico that a visibly intoxicated Garcia groped his butt and reached for his crotch after an Assembly softball game in 2014, when he was 25. Then, last Wednesday, four anonymous former staffers accused Garcia of talking graphically about her sex life at work (including with other lawmakers), drinking in the office, pressuring staff to drink with her, and constantly reminding them they were "replaceable."
One of those staffers, David John Kernick, a former field representative for Garcia, came forward Saturday with a complaint alleging that Garcia had fired him "after he questioned the appropriateness of her suggestion that after a fundraiser at a whiskey bar" in 2014 they "sit on the floor of her hotel room and play spin the bottle." Tim Reardon, who was Garcia's chief of staff in 2014, called the allegations a "complete falsehood," saying Kernick was fired for poor work.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Garcia was among the hundreds of women in Sacramento to sign a letter protesting harassment at the California Capitol, telling The New York Times that "multiple people have grabbed my butt and grabbed my breasts. ... We're talking about senior lobbyists and lawmakers." On Monday, Garcia celebrated a new California law that penalizes lawmakers who retaliate against staffers for making a "good faith allegation," including of sexual misconduct.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How much can you save shopping secondhand?
The Explainer Many Americans are buying pre-owned items to counteract the effects of inflation
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Downtown St. Louis is in a real estate 'doom loop'
Under the Radar The city is ripe with abandoned buildings and vacant lots, with its real estate market in dire straits
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
TV to watch in May, from 'Bridgerton' to 'Black Twitter: A People's History'
The Week Recommends The return of an HBO staple, a new series from the filmmaker behind 'Tiger King,' and more
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published