Retaliation Lawsuit Filed Against Assemblywomen Garcia, Quirk-Silva, and CA for Sexual Harassment

Former California Assembly staffer Daniel Fierro, who last year accused Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) of groping him at the annual Assembly softball game in Sacramento, filed a complaint Friday for damages against Garcia, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk Silva, the State Assembly, the Assembly Rules Committee and the State of California, Los Cerritos News reported late Friday.

I extensively covered the sexual harassment charges in the California Capitol, as well as the attempt by the Assembly to play down the charges against Assemblywoman Garcia, most commonly referred to in the news as “misconduct.”

Fierro’s charges include retaliation, retaliation in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, discrimination in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, intentional interference with prospective economic relations, defamation, and violations under the whistleblower act.

Last year, the California State Assembly investigated groping allegations by Daniel Fierro against Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). And as quickly as the case was opened looking into the charges, it was prematurely wrapped up, according to the lawsuit.

As I reported last year, there has been a deafening silence from the Legislature’s Women’s Caucus, and legislative leadership. However, they were vocal on the sexual harassment charges against their male colleagues.

As for the allegations agains Garcia, Daniel Fierro “said she (Garcia) cornered him alone after the annual Assembly softball game in Sacramento as he attempted to clean up the dugout. Fierro, who said Garcia appeared inebriated, said she began stroking his back, then squeezed his buttocks and attempted to touch his crotch before he extricated himself and quickly left,” Politico initially reported.

On January 31, 2019, Fierro filed a Complaint against Garcia, Quirk-Silva and the State, and alleged:

“In stark contrast to the leniency that Defendant Garcia received while standing accused of sexual assault, male Senators and Assemblymen have been forced to resign amid sexual harassment allegations in the wake of the #metoo movement. On information and belief, legislative leadership urged these male Senators and Assemblymen to resign before their respective investigations were concluded or reported. Notably, Defendant Garcia publicly and aggressively called for her colleagues who were accused of sexual misconduct to resign.”

“Since Fierro’s complaint has been made public, he has received continued hostility for his complaint.”

“While the second investigation was ongoing, on or around September 24, 2018, it was made public that two female democratic colleagues of Defendant Garcia, Assemblywoman Laura Friedman and state Senator Holly Mitchell both donated a substantial amount of money to Defendant Garcia’s re-election campaign. Shockingly, Assemblywoman Friedman is the chair of the Joint Legislative Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response, while state Senator Mitchell is a vice-chair.”

“Assemblywoman Friedman and state Senator Mitchell, champions of victims of harassment, are clearly only champions of victims who are female. State Senator Mitchell was even quoted in Politico stating that ‘from my perspective…[Asm. Garcia] was cleared of all sexual harassment allegations” after the initial investigation and Assemblywoman Friedman (also in Politico) stated that she “certainly hopes the investigation clears her.’”

The Complaint is HERE. California Globe will continue to follow this news.