I just received a press release from the Poochigian for Attorney General staff. Bottom line is they are accusing Jerry Brown (a number of years ago) of basically ignoring a woman (or group of women) concerns about sexual harassment. He is not actually accused of sexual harassment, but of allowing it to occur under his watch and by a close aide.

The problem with these accusations (always accompanied by a sworn statement from a long forgotten member of the staff, entourage, etc.) is that they cheapen all of us. California Republicans (justifiably so) were outraged when Democrats (and the Los Angeles Times) did this to now Governor Schwarzenegger during the 2003 recall election and it’s certainly not out of the question that it will happen again sometime in the next week.

Where is that outrage now? Why do desperate politicians always resort to this under the “public needs to know what this guy is really like” umbrella? Does this elevate any of us, any cause, any position, anything at all that benefits Californians? Or, does it remind us of low politics and politicians have sunk? It is not party specific – Republicans are doing this one and reveled in the Monica / Clinton affair and Democrats did this to Schwarzenegger and are playing Foley for all it’s worth.

Ideas gentleman. Ideas are what we’re looking for. Add a touch of class; a dash of leadership and you’ll win an election.

Poochigian for Attorney General

Jerry Brown's Cover-Up of Workplace Sexual Harassment Scandal Exposed
 
 Barzaghi Victim Speaks Out on Brown's Knowledge of Harassment
 
SACRAMENTO - For the first time, Nereyda Lopez-Bowden, former Oakland City Hall employee, this week publicly discussed Mayor Jerry Brown's handling of chronic workplace sexual harassment committed by Brown's top-aide, Jacques Barzaghi [view citations on the Barzaghi sexual harassment scandal].  Lopez-Bowden contacted the Poochigian for Attorney General campaign in response to the Brown campaign's assertion that this demeaning experience was handled professionally by the Mayor and his staff.

Following is a statement by Nereyda Lopez-Bowden:
 
"I recently learned that my name has been raised during the campaign for California attorney general.  I am saddened that Jerry Brown is still questioning the validity of my sexual harassment claim against his closest aide of 32 years, Jacques Barzaghi.  It seems that Mayor Brown still doesn't understand the inherent rights that women have to protect themselves in the workplace against such reprehensible conduct.  And, unfortunately, he also ignores the many, many other women who came forward stating that they, too, had been harassed by Mr. Barzaghi.
 
"In November and December of 2000, I was the victim of repeated sexual harassment by Mr. Barzaghi.  At the time, the city of Oakland had issued a strong policy against sexual harassment, and I asked merely to have that policy enforced.  When it was not, I filed a formal complaint with the city manager.  After an extremely trying period when the city tried every means to discredit me personally, Mr. Barzaghi received a "slap on the wrist" and was able to keep his job.  What kind of message is that to women who protest against harassment?
 
"The reason I have come forward now is to inform California voters, and especially women, of Mayor Jerry Brown's tolerance of Mr. Barzaghi's boorish behavior and his refusal to act when informed of it.  On one occasion, Mayor Brown asked me to discontinue my protests of Barzaghi's behavior saying:  "Why are you doing this to me?"  He made it clear that he believed my protests were a threat to his political image - as if he, not I, were the victim.
 
"On another occasion, the Mayor told me I should just accept Mr. Barzaghi's behavior saying: "Come on, Nereyda, he's French, and he does that with all the women."  I want to make it very clear that I informed Mayor Brown of Barzaghi's constant harassment, and he was clearly aware - and therefore accepting - of this behavior.
 
"On more than one occasion, Mr. Barzaghi threatened that if I did not submit to him I would be fired.  I told Mayor Brown that Barzaghi's demands included the request for sexual favors.  Again, I asked him to tell Mr. Barzaghi to stop, but Mayor Brown declined to do so.  At all times, the workplace environment for me and for several other women was demeaning and humiliating.  The women in the office feared Barzaghi because of his close relationship with the mayor.  Barzaghi also carried a gun.
 
"It is my belief that as many as 19 other women came forward in confidence to reveal similar instances of harassment while employed at City Hall.  It is also my belief that seven women quit working there because of their desire not to submit to this horrible work environment.
 
"I have remained silent all these years and intended to continue to do so until I read a statement by Jerry Brown's campaign consultant that Mayor Brown had handled this issue "professionally."  I was outraged by that false claim.  The demeaning experience I had to go through was anything but professional.
 
"Thus, I came forward on my own to ensure that the people of California are aware of the character of the man who seeks to be attorney general.  It is ridiculous that he would be running for this office as my experience with him left me with the belief that Jerry Brown is unprincipled.  I am shocked at Mr. Brown's audacity in running for an enforcement position while he allowed so many woman in his office to be abused, threatened, groped and intimidated on his watch.  California should not be subjected to someone so self-centered and insensitive to women and the legal system which protects them in the workplace.
 
"I emphasize that I initiated the contact with Senator Poochigian's campaign.  As difficult and traumatic as this episode has been - and even with the knowledge that Mayor Brown will again personally attack me - I believed it was imperative that I step forward so that Jerry Brown is not politically rewarded for his insulting conduct to me and the other women with whom I worked."
 
Below is a statement from Senator Chuck Poochigian:
 
"The Attorney General is the chief law officer of the state of California.  He is charged with enforcing state laws that protect the rights of workers.  He doesn't have a right to ignore, no matter how inconvenient to himself or a buddy, those laws which protect workers from sexual harassment.
 
"During this campaign, Mayor Brown has made blanket claims that California has 'Hundreds of thousands' even 'millions' of 'exploited' workers and that as attorney general he will vigorously enforce the law by using the lawyers at his disposal to protect workers and go after employers.  But as Mayor, Jerry Brown apparently didn't think much of the policy or law regarding serious charges of a hostile work environment and sexual harassment in his own office.
 
"If Jerry Brown didn't have the strength of character and judgment to ensure the enforcement of vital laws and policies protecting workers' rights even in his own office, how can he be trusted to enforce them for the entire state of California?"