Cristina Garcia takes leave after allegations of sexual misconduct (UPDATED)

This story was updated Feb. 15 with new allegations by four of Garcia's former staff employees.

DOWNEY – Cristina Garcia, Downey’s representative in the California Assembly, has taken an unpaid leave of absence after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged last week. 

Daniel Fierro, who worked for Democratic Assemblyman Ian Calderon, said Garcia stroked his back, squeezed his backside and tried to grab his crotch following a softball game in 2014. 
Garcia has denied the charges. 

According to Politico, Fierro did not report the incident until January, when he reported it to Calderon, who in turn reported it to State Assembly leaders, launching an investigation. 

“Upon reflection of the details alleged, I am certain I did not engage in the behavior I am accused of. However, as I’ve said before, any claims about sexual harassment must be taken seriously, and I believe elected officials should be held to a higher standard of accountability,” Garcia said in a statement. 

“Therefore, I am voluntarily taking an immediate unpaid leave from my position in the State Assembly, including any accompanying committee assignments, so as not to serve as a distraction or in any way influence the process of this investigation.”

An unnamed Sacramento lobbyist also alleged misconduct by Garcia, telling Politico that she made a “graphic sexual proposal” and tried to grab his crotch last May. 

According to Politico, the lobbyist, who represents a major industry association, said that Garcia appeared to have been drinking heavily at a fundraiser hosted by Governor Jerry Brown for state Senator Josh Newman at the de Veres bar in Sacramento. He said he was heading out the door in part to avoid the assemblywoman — who had been increasingly “flirtatious” and had called him on a few occasions before for late night drinks which he repeatedly declined.

She spotted him and said, “Where are you going?” the lobbyist said.

“She came back and was whispering real close and I could smell the booze and see she was pretty far gone,’’ he said. “She looked at me for a second and said, “I’ve set a goal for myself to f---you.”

At that point, Garcia “stepped in front of me and reaches out and is grabbing for my crotch,’’ he said. That was “the line in the sand,” according to the lobbyist, and he stopped her. “I was four inches from her, eyeball to eyeball -- and I said, ‘That ain’t gonna happen.’”

On Wednesday, four former state employees filed a formal complaint accusing Garcia of drinking on the job and openly bragging of her sexual behavior. 

“Alcohol was often in Ms. Garcia’s Assembly office and she drank alcohol when in her office while doing official Assembly business,” the employees wrote in their complaint, which was filed by San Diego attorney Dan Gilleon. 

“This alcohol that was either purchased by herself or her senior staff was made available to Assembly staff. Oftentimes Ms. Garcia pressured staff to join her in drinking alcoholic beverages both at the office and at local bars, including events she was hosting.”

The former staff members said Garcia bragged about having sex with other politicians in their Sacramento offices.

“Ms. Garcia also spoke of her sexual activities with other elected officials including other members of the Assembly who we will not name in respect for their privacy,” the complaint alleges. “She spoke graphically about their sexual activity and stated as fact that they were sexually active in Assembly offices.

“Ms. Garcia said that having sex with other elected officials was a good way of getting information; she claimed that she received a lot of information during post-coital...conversations.” 

The workers also accused Garcia of making them work on campaign activities for local and statewide candidates “and we were reprimanded if we did not take part.”

“We are unsure if this environment of bullying might be pervasive in the Assembly, but it makes for a difficult environment to work in,” they said.

Garcia has been a prominent supporter of the #MeToo movement and was even featured on the cover of TIME magazine for her efforts to change California’s definition of rape. 

She also spoke out publicly against state Sen. Tony Mendoza, who is under investigation for sexual harassment. 

With Garcia and Mendoza both on leave, Downey currently has zero representation in Sacramento.