Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  •  

California State Senator Tony Mendoza Takes Leave Of Absence Amid Sexual Harassment/Retribution Allegations

  •  Ben Adler 
  •  Bob Moffitt 
Wednesday, January 3, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
Ben Adler / Capital Public Radio

Sen. Tony Mendoza stands on the California Senate floor on Wednesday, January 3, 2018.

Ben Adler / Capital Public Radio

UPDATE: 

Embattled state Senator Tony Mendoza, under investigation after being accused of sexual harassment against a female student Fellow and a former staffer, announced this evening that he’ll temporarily vacate his office.

"I have decided that I will take a leave of absence for this month of January," the lawmaker said on the Senate floor during the body’s first day in session.

His announcement came after nearly four hours of private debate among Senate Democrats, while members of Mendoza’s family sat in the chamber gallery.A former Mendoza staffer also has the green light to sue.

Adriana Ruelas filed a formal complaint with the Department of Fair Employment & Housing against the lawmaker, alleging harassment, retaliation and more.

She says she was harassed, discriminated against and retaliated against by Mendoza after she reported the harassment of a young female Fellow in his office.

In the complaint, she says former Mendoza chief of staff Eusevio Padilla had told Senate human resources director Jeannie Oropeza about the lawmaker’s misconduct from February through August of last year.

According to the complaint, Ruelas, Padilla and another Mendoza staffer, scheduler Stacey Brown, met with Oropeza last September and provided details to "back their claims of Mendoza's inappropriate and harassing behavior toward the Senate Fellow.” The complaint says Oropeza responded with termination letters for all three.

It further alleges that statements from Mendoza's office to Capital Public Radio, which were given after the firing of the trio, qualify as disparaging and would violate a non-disclosure agreement signed by Ruelas and Secretary of the Senate Danny Alvarez. The statements say the staff members were fired for performance reasons.

The submission of a complaint to the DFEH is considered a precursor to litigation. Ruelas has a year to bring a civil lawsuit against Mendoza, Alvarez, Oropeza and the Senate.

The complaint also says former Mendoza communications director Timothy Kirkconnell was fired in retaliation, for uncovering and questioning the felony record of district director Ana Perez.

Kirkconnell filed a formal complaint against Perez last summer — and was fired in August.

Ruelas’ complaint also provides details about conversations with the student Fellow, who Mendoza allegedly made inappropriate sexual advances toward last year. Ruelas says the young woman asked for advice after Mendoza invited her multiple times on trips, to his hotel room and to his home.

Mendoza is already the subject of a Senate investigation by two outside law firms. The lawmaker said he will leave the Senate at the urging of colleagues so that the investigation can be completed.

“I know there’s a lot of discussion about everything that’s been going on, and I had some feedback with my colleagues, the Democrats, on the Senate side,” Mendoza said this evening. “I do appreciate their feedback, and they feel it’s better if I just step back a little bit.”

However, a little more than an hour after his speech, Mendoza released a statement with a much different tone.

"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," he said.

Previously, in response to Republican state Senator Andy Vidak's promise to introduce a bill to expel Mendoza, he issued a statement that the allegations "do not involve any form of touching or even suggest inappropriate bodily contact,” and that he has “been accused at most of allegedly making someone ‘feel’ uncomfortable."

Mendoza also called for an audit of the Senate and Assembly's Human Resources procedures that address harassment complaints.

The state auditor responded by saying such an audit is not permitted under California law.

 

Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    Related Stories

  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP / File

    Mendoza Pushes Back Against Harassment Allegations In Letter To Supporters

    Wednesday, November 29, 2017
    California state Senator Tony Mendoza is going on the offensive in denying sexual misconduct allegations leveled against him.
  • New Concerns Emerge About Senate Fellows Director's Judgment, Conduct

    Friday, November 17, 2017
    A California Senate staffer told an associate last year the director of the Senate Fellows Program knew about state Sen. Tony Mendoza’s reputation for inappropriate behavior with women, yet still placed a female student Fellow in his Capitol office.
  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP / File

    Senate Leader Moves To Punish Tony Mendoza After Multiple Harassment Allegations

    Friday, November 17, 2017
    California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León is calling for punishment of a fellow Democratic Senator, after allegations of inappropriate advances on at least three women.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento State Puts Capital Senate Fellows Director On ‘Indefinite Leave,’ Program Alumni Letter To University President Demands Inquiry

    Wednesday, November 15, 2017
    Sacramento State placed the director of its California Senate Fellows program at the state Capitol on “indefinite leave” Wednesday on the heels of accusations he failed to report a state senator's alleged improper conduct with a female student.

Ben Adler

Director of Programming and Audience Development

Director of Programming and Audience Development Ben Adler first became a public radio listener in the car on his way to preschool — though not necessarily by choice.  Read Full Bio 

Bob Moffitt

Former Sacramento Region Reporter

Bob reported on all things northern California and Nevada. His coverage of police technology, local athletes, and the environment has won a regional Associated Press and several Edward R. Murrow awards.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

In California, abortion could become a constitutional right. So could birth control.

August 7, 2022

Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

California unemployment program too focused on fraud, failed to timely provide hundreds of millions of dollars, report finds

August 8, 2022

Most Viewed

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

North Sacramento residents push back on affordable housing, say city ‘dumping’ homelessness solutions in neighborhood

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

California coronavirus updates: Flushed with cash from COVID-19 treatments, Pfizer buys another drug maker

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

North Sacramento residents push back on affordable housing, say city ‘dumping’ homelessness solutions in neighborhood

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

California coronavirus updates: Flushed with cash from COVID-19 treatments, Pfizer buys another drug maker

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.