LEGAL WOES END HOUSE BID
Facing allegations of abuse, Hernández indicates he’s no longer campaigning against Napolitano.
Under fire over domestic violence allegations and questions about taking a medical leave of absence from the Legislature, Assemblyman Roger Hernández (D-West Covina) indicated Friday that he was no longer actively campaigning for a U.S. House seat against Democratic Rep. Grace Napolitano.
“Because of the damage, I don’t have the fight in me to continue forward in a congressional run,” Hernández told reporters after returning to work in Sacramento following more than two weeks on leave.
His campaign was marred by the accusations of domestic violence after his then-wife, Baldwin Park City Councilwoman Susan Rubio, gave graphic testimony detailing the abuse she said she suffered over the course of their threeyear relationship. Her comments as well as past accusations of domestic violence appeared in mailers from Napolitano’s campaign.
When June primary polls closed, Hernández sat in third place behind Napolitano and first-time Republican candidate Gordon Fisher.
But the same day a judge granted a request for a domestic violence restraining order, the Los Angeles
County Registrar-Recorder released its final count of votes and Hernández moved into second place with a lead of just 792 votes over Fisher.
The assemblyman, who after the judge’s ruling was stripped of his committee assignments and his post as chairman of the Committee on Labor and Employment, said Friday he has been suffering from blood pressure issues but is back for the final two weeks of the legislative session. He went on medical leave Aug. 1, providing a physician’s note that did not explain any conditions, and continued to take his pay.
He compared his ex-wife to “Tonya Harding” and said her accusations that he beat her during their marriage have been like “a baseball bat to my knees.”
Hernández said he has been in his district, either at home or at his doctor’s office, during his leave. Asked by reporters if he had been in a rehabilitation program, he said no and added that any rumors of a drug problem were spread by “haters.”
“I’ve made a big mistake,” Hernández told reporters, saying he should have been more open about his situation with the public.
“I’ve been going through a traumatic experience in my life .... I wasn’t healthy. My health was not at par to be at work,” Hernández said.
Friday was the last day to amend legislation for this year and Hernández has several bills pending a final vote.
Despite a rapid political fallout that included the loss of several endorsements and all of his committee assignments in the Assembly, it was unclear until Friday if Hernández would keep on with his effort to win the seat.
Since the primary, his campaign was quiet on social media and has held no events. Laura Herrera, who managed his primary campaign, told The Times she is not running Hernández’s general election campaign and has not been in contact with him.
Fundraising crashed after the election as well, according to the latest records filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Hernández reported raising just $8,849 between May 19 and June 30 and having $60,668 left in the bank for the general election. Napolitano raised just shy of $100,000 in that same period and had nearly $250,000 in cash on hand.
Hernández’s campaign headquarters on Rowland Street in Covina has been leased to new tenants, according to real estate agent Michael Wong, who represents the property.
The campaign also was a burden for Hernández personally: he had lent himself $80,000.
Hernández launched his campaign last December at a park in West Covina with local union supporters and family by his side. He made jabs at Napolitano for not living in the 32nd Congressional District and sought to cast himself as a young “activist” lawmaker.
Though Hernández cannot seek reelection to the Assembly because of term limits, he has an existing account to raise money for a potential run for the state Senate in 2018. A spokeswoman said he is keeping a Senate bid “as an option.”
Napolitano suffered a stroke in February but vowed to keep campaigning for a 10th term and soon returned to work on Capitol Hill.
“I’m sure there are some who hoped it was serious enough that I wouldn’t run again,” Napolitano told The Times in April. “The campaign is on the move, and I’m still working.”
Her campaign declined to comment Friday.
sophia.bollag@latimes.com javier.panzar@latimes.com Bollag reported from Sacramento. Times staff writer Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.