A rush to judgment against Trujillo
Two questions are at the forefront of onetime lobbyist Laura Bonar’s sexual harassment charges against state Rep. Carl Trujillo. The most obvious one is: Who’s telling the truth? Bonar says Trujillo propositioned her and touched her inappropriately four years ago. Trujillo, a married man, says Bonar is a liar.
For now, this is a he-said, she-said story. But there is a chance to find the truth.
The state House of Representatives has begun an investigation of Trujillo. Four members of the House, two Republicans and two Democrats, will team with an independent attorney in leading the inquiry.
That takes us to the second question: Why have many organizations and individuals rushed to judgment against Trujillo?
Could it be because Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, occasionally has voted with Republicans, notably on a bill that would have banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy? Liberal groups that include the Center for Civic Policy and ProgressNow New Mexico are publicly backing Bonar. “Laura, we believe you,” they said in a statement. That is their right, but their stand doesn’t mean Trujillo did anything wrong.
So far, nothing is clear in this case except that Trujillo and Bonar have diametrically opposing stories of what, if anything of significance, happened between them.
With Bonar and her lawyer making charges and Trujillo denouncing them as frauds, I don’t pretend to know who is telling the truth. The state investigation might shine light on that.
Bonar was brave in attaching her name to explosive allegations, but I don’t accept the view that she should be believed automatically.
This isn’t a criminal case, where those sitting as judge and jury are supposed to presume the accused is innocent unless he is proven guilty. But Trujillo deserves that same due process as a matter of fundamental fairness.
Those who pronounced Trujillo guilty before the investigation have provided ammunition for his claim that he is the target of a politically motivated attack.
If finding truth is what matters, why not let that investigation take its course before taking sides?
Some lining up against Trujillo have an obvious political agenda.
Andrea Romero, Trujillo’s opponent in the primary election on June 5, says he should resign from office. That would be convenient for Romero, who alienated many voters by misspending public money on baseball tickets and liquor while she was executive director of a coalition that lobbied for the cleanup of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Romero said this week she repaid $580 in inappropriate expenditures after an audit of the organization’s travel records by Los Alamos County. That total is far lower than the initial estimate of improper expenses.
Four sitting members of the House of Representatives, all Democrats, also say they believe Bonar.
One is freshman Rep. Debbie Sariñana of Albuquerque. She has the same campaign adviser as Romero.
Another is Rep. Miguel Garcia, whose shallow judgments of others once blew up in his face.
Garcia, of Albuquerque, immodestly calls himself a civil rights leader. Yet he once denounced two candidates in a Democratic primary election based on the color of their skin. Both were Anglo.
“Anglo Democrats with egos as big as Texas, mouths as big as the Grand Canyon, and much green mula [sic] from the east and the west coast,” Garcia wrote about candidates he didn’t know.
Garcia apologized for his race-based screed to save himself politically. Now he says Trujillo is unfit for office based on an allegation.
Trujillo might be guilty of sexually harassing Bonar. If the investigation reaches that conclusion, he should be stripped of his seat in the House, even if he defeats Romero in the primary election.
The drumbeat for Trujillo’s immediate resignation is unnecessary, but it’s a useful political club for those trying to move undecided voters to Romero’s side.
Justice for all exists on a few pages of civics books. It disappeared quickly in the heat of this campaign.
Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact Milan Simonich at msimonich@sfnewmexican.com or 505-986-3080.