California Democrats distance themselves from Cesar Chavez after allegations
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California Democratic leaders have issued statements seeking to distance themselves from pro-union activist Cesar Chavez after “heartbreaking” allegations against him.
on wednesday, New York Times He released a bombshell report revealing accusations that Chavez had sexually harassed numerous women, including labor activist Dolores Huerta, before his death in 1993.
In response to the article, several elected officials in California issued statements condemning the actions and supporting the victims.
“These are heartbreaking, horrific accounts of abuse. I stand with the survivors, commending them for their courage in sharing their stories, and condemning the heinous acts they describe. Survivors deserve to have their voices heard. They deserve to be supported. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.” Alex Padilla he wrote in a statement.
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The New York Times published a report revealing multiple sexual abuse allegations against labor union activist Cesar Chavez. (Getty Images)
He continued: “There must be zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation, and the silencing of victims, regardless of who is involved. Confronting hard truths and ensuring accountability is essential to honoring the values that the larger farmworkers movement represents: values of dignity and justice for all.”
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie wrote about
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass he wrote in a statement“The sickening truth is that what Dolores, Ana, and Debra endured is neither isolated nor a thing of the past. True progress requires more than moments of reckoning; it requires sustained action to dismantle the social, cultural, economic, and political structures that have harmed women throughout our history. Dolores and leaders like her have inspired many of us to activism.”
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Other political leaders in California also expressed solidarity with the victims but emphasized that Chavez should separate from the broader labor movement.
Several California Democratic politicians have expressed support for labor unions in light of the allegations against Cesar Chavez. (David Swanson/Reuters)
Senator Adam Schiff wrote of
“The women who have come forward carry years of pain. It takes real courage to talk about this. Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and Dolores Huerta speak clearly and forcefully. I stand with them and condemn all instances of sexual assault. The United Farm Workers was built by a movement of people — especially women — and its legacy is greater than any single individual,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Rep. Eric Swalwell wrote.
Representative Lou Correa’s statement on the report called for “zero tolerance” against sexual harassers, including the “president of the United States.”
“All sexual predators, whether the president of the United States, a British prince, or the leader of farm workers, must be held accountable. There must be zero tolerance for sexual predators, especially those who prey on young children,” Correa said. he said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was asked about the report at a press conference and also emphasized the need to focus on the labor movement.
“I’ve got this covered in a couple of hours… I read the article this morning… Like I said, for all these years, especially spending so much time with Dolores, there was no indication, and now I have about two kids. So, there was a lot to process. So look, thinking again, this is about the movement. This is about farmworkers. This is about labor. This is about social justice, economic justice, racial justice, everything that you know the movement inspires, and we should do it too. Everybody’s celebrating,” Newsom said.
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The state had no clear answer for how to respond to Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, normally a public holiday in California, or the dozens of schools, streets and libraries named after Chavez.
Diana Crofts-Pelayo, principal deputy director for communications, offered additional clarification in a comment to Fox News Digital, adding that Newsom was “open to discussions with the Legislature on any legislative changes” related to the report.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was asked about the news about Cesar Chavez at a press conference on Wednesday. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
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“We are all interested. Jen and I are very close to Dolores. Many of us are… for decades and none of us knew, and we are all processing this. The farmworker movement and the labor movement is much bigger than one man — and we celebrate that, and that will be our focus as we process the next steps. We are for justice. We are for truth. We are for transparency. We will have these victims’ backs,” the statement said.
Before the New York Times’ report, local organizations and labor unions had begun to cancel Cesar Chavez Day celebrations. The United Farm Workers, the union Chavez co-founded, confirmed Tuesday that it will not participate in Cesar Chavez Day events.
