California State Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) announced Monday that he will resign immediately, less than a week after announcing that he would resign late next year in response to sexual harassment allegations made by six women against him.
The Los Angeles Times reported Bocanegra’s somewhat cryptic statement, in which he denied “crimes” but suggested that he had done something wrong:
I hope the community will have a new representative sooner rather than later. Furthermore, it is my hope that in taking this action we can help clear the path so that women and men who have been truly victims of sexual assault and workplace harassment can step forward and get justice for any crimes committed against them. While I am not guilty of any such crimes, I am admittedly not perfect…
I sincerely hope that my decision to resign immediately does not embolden those who are using this serious problem in our society to advance their own personal political gain, rather it is my hope that this action can instead help to widen the doors for victims of sexual assault and workplace harassment to find justice and solace.
The Times noted that Bocanegra’s resignation came one day before hearings on sexual harassment in the State Capitol workplace.
On Tuesday, Democrat Bonnie Corwin, who was one of the foremost voices in pushing for Bocanegra’s resignation, announced her intention to run for his seat.
“I’m honest. I’m transparent. I try to do the right things for the district. Everybody wants certain things a certain way, but I weigh everything and look at he big picture,” she said, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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