Swing-District Dem Randy Villegas Silent on Platner Sexual Assault Allegations

Randy Villegas, the far-left Democrat nominee for California’s 22nd Congressional District, has remained silent after multiple women credibly accused Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault and rape.

In a resurfaced video interview on the Breaking Points podcast, Villegas drew direct parallels between his own insurgent campaign and Platner’s, while lashing out at critics.  

“You’re seeing something similar in my race… It is just another classic example of DC elites and insiders who are completely out of touch with what’s actually going on, on the ground and people’s sentiment,” Villegas said. “People are also waking up to the fact that we’re not going to have these, you know, candidates who are perfect by any means. And that people are actually capable of growth.”

Since that interview, additional women have come forward with serious allegations against Platner, including claims of rape. Platner’s primary endorsers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna, have distanced themselves or condemned Platner, asking him to drop out of the race. Villegas, however, has stayed silent and has not rescinded his support.

Republicans were quick to pounce. RNC spokesman Nick Poché issued a blistering statement: “Randy Villegas is as sick as they come, and his refusal to condemn Platner reveals that there’s nothing he won’t do to advance his radical far-left beliefs.”

“Socialist Randy Villegas is dragging around a record of closed-door sex-abuse settlements and far-left political allies who helped prop up alleged sexual abuser Graham Platner. Villegas won’t distance himself from any of it because he is exactly what the Democrat machine produces: a self-serving socialist who protects the system, not families,” said NRCC Spokesman Christian Martinez.

Villegas’ campaign is managed by Morris Katz of Fight Agency, the same firm tied to Platner, raising further questions about the depth of their alliance. Katz has faced his own headlines for allegedly attempting to silence a female staffer regarding Platner’s behavior.

On X, Katz has denied a New York Post report alleging he has recommended Platner stay in the race.

To be very clear, no one in campaign deliberations or familiar with my thinking is talking to the NYP. https://t.co/ZebkxGYd7A

— Morris Katz (@katz_morris) July 7, 2026

The Globe has reached out to the Fight Agency for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

The controversy lands in CA-22, a competitive Central Valley district encompassing Bakersfield and surrounding areas that leans Republican but remains a top Democratic target. 

Villegas, a progressive educator and activist backed by Bernie Sanders and the Working Families Party, defeated the more moderate DCCC-preferred candidate in the primary.

During the Democratic primary for California’s 22nd Congressional District, Randy Villegas (then a Visalia Unified School District board trustee) faced repeated attacks from opponent Jasmeet Bains and aligned groups over his role in approving confidential settlements for sexual abuse cases involving district employees.

Key facts from reporting:

• While Villegas served on the board, Visalia Unified School District approved multiple confidential settlements totaling nearly $14.4 million for sex abuse claims.
• One notable case involved a $3 million settlement with six former kindergarten students who alleged sexual assault by a teacher. The agreement included provisions to keep details confidential from the public.
• Attack ads (funded in part by groups supporting Bains and the DCCC-backed effort) accused Villegas of helping “cover up” the abuse by approving secret payouts instead of taking cases to trial, and compared the situation to Jeffrey Epstein-style concealment.

Villegas and his supporters pushed back, arguing the settlements were standard legal practice to protect victims, provide compensation quickly, and avoid prolonged trauma in court. They said the ads exploited survivors for political gain and that no evidence showed victims were silenced from speaking out.

The DCCC initially backed Bains (spending significantly in the race), which amplified the attacks on Villegas. After Villegas won the primary, the DCCC switched to supporting him against Republican incumbent David Valadao.

This issue became a central line of attack, with critics portraying Villegas as prioritizing institutional protection over transparency, while claiming to fight the DCCC establishment. Villegas has defended his record by emphasizing his broader transparency efforts on the school board.

In light of the mounting sexual assault and rape allegations against Platner, and the widespread condemnation from fellow Democrats, Villegas’ remains silent. In the #MeToo era, silence from those in power was often called complicity. Villegas’ refusal to withdraw his support now raises the same scrutiny. 

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