Yee's attorney made the announcement today in San Francisco.
Earlier this week Yee was arrested and charged with seven counts of wire fraud and gun trafficking. He’s accused of using his Senate connections in exchange for campaign contributions. Yee allegedly set up meetings for undercover FBI agents with other state lawmakers and gun runners. His arrest was part of a sting operation that also snared San Francisco gang leader Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow and 24 others.
Senate Democrats and Republicans have called on Yee to resign. But Yee’s attorney, Paul DeMeester, would not say whether Yee would leave the Senate.
“We’re dealing with one issue at a time,” he says. “So, right now, he’s made the very decision of withdrawing from this race. And other issue’s we’ll deal with as time progresses.”
Democratic leaders say they will vote to suspend Yee if he doesn’t leave office willingly. US Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have issued statements calling for Yee’s resignation.
Campaign finance rules allow Yee to use money from his Secretary of State campaign account to pay his legal fees.
May 30, 2018Fair Political Practices Commission chairperson Jodi Remke announced Tuesday that she will step down on Friday. It follows months of acrimony with other commissioners.
February 22, 2018His resignation followed an outside investigation, which found that Mendoza likely engaged in "flirtatious or sexually suggestive" behavior with six different women, including former staffers and fellows. The allegations date back to 2007.
February 20, 2018A summary of the Senate’s outside investigation comes after the chamber’s Rules Committee met in closed session to discuss Mendoza’s fate for the second weekday in a row.
January 18, 2018New legislative efforts supporting the “Me Too” anti-harassment movement could change the reporting process for victims filing complaints.
October 26, 2017Women in California politics, protesting sexual harassment and abuse at the Capitol, distrust the response from legislative leaders.
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