Head of state Dem party steps down
Bauman resigns — sexual misconduct alleged
California Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman resigned Thursday after being accused of multiple instances of sexual misconduct, allegations that had prompted Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to urge him to step down.
Bauman took a leave of absence after Daraka Larimore-Hall, the state Democratic Party’s third-in-command, went public late Friday with allegations that Bauman had acted inappropriately. Larimore-Hall offered no details on the actions or the accusers other to say that they were “credible, corroborated and utterly heartbreaking allegations.”
Pressure on Bauman to resign intensified Thursday after the Los Angeles Times reported that he had made what the paper called crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching or intimidation in professional settings. The Times based its story on interviews with 10 party staff members and political activists.
On resigning Thursday, Bauman released a statement:
“In order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign.”
Newsom had earlier said he was troubled by “the very serious allegations” and called for Bauman to step down.
“Sexual harassment shouldn’t be tolerated — no person or party, no matter how powerful, is above accountability,” Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said.
Bauman, 59, a Bronxborn nurse and political operative from Los Angeles, was the state party’s first openly gay leader. He was elected by Democratic convention delegates in a bitter 2017 race against Kimberly Ellis, a Richmond resident who was allied with Bernie Sanders supporters who have gained increasing control of the state party’s organization. Bauman was more identified with the Hillary Clinton wing of the party.
The state party’s No. 2 official, Vice Chair Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, is running the organization’s day-to-day operations. Party delegates will chose someone to serve out the remaining two years of Bauman’s term at its May convention.
“While Eric’s resigning is a first step in providing justice for the victims, it does not eradicate the political culture that enabled such abuses of power,” Ellis said in a statement Thursday.
“We owe victims lasting change,” she said. “It’s time we get serious about unionizing campaign workers, party employees and legislative staffers — because if our leaders won’t protect workers, then at least they should have the tools to protect themselves and one another.”
Larimore-Hall said Thursday that he has spoken to 10 alleged victims in addition to the 10 contacted by the Times, and that he believes there are more.
“Absolutely,” Larimore-Hall said. “Every day more are coming forward.”
The allegations range from “salty talk that wasn’t appreciated to sexual assault,” Larimore-Hall said. The victims include party staffers and volunteers, he said.
Larimore-Hall said the state party needed a better system for handling such allegations. The party did not commission an independent inquiry into the accusations until after Larimore-Hall went public.
“One thing is clear: People of a range of genders, gender expressions and sexual orientations felt unsafe working in and around” the state Democratic Party, he said. “We share a profound responsibility to fix that.”