Who Is Christina Garcia? #MeToo Movement Advocate Accused Of Sexual Harassment

California Assemblywoman Christina Garcia, 38, who was at the helm of the #Metoo movement advocating safety of women in workplace, was accused of sexually harassing a former legislative staffer in 2014, said a report published Thursday.

Daniel Fierro told Politico that during his service at the state capitol in Sacramento, he was groped by Garcia at a softball game held in 2014. Fierro at the time of the incident was 25 years old. The Assembly Rules Committee launched an investigation against Garcia after the incident was brought to the attention of the staffer's former boss Ian Calderon in January 2017, the report said.

Garcia, a graduate from the Claremont Graduate University in Los Angeles, helped form the Bell Association to Stop Abuse (BATSA) in the wake of the Bell scandal that involved misappropriation of public funds in the city in California, before being elected to Assembly in 2012. She is now the incumbent chair of California Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Natural Resources Committee. She also spearheaded the young legislators' program to mentor high school students to become future legislators in 2014.

Garcia, regarded as one of the most active voices in Sacramento's #Metoo campaign, was always at the forefront in the fight against sexual harassment. Garcia told the New York Times in 2017 that she was one of the women sexually harassed in the capitol during the course of her work, which fueled her passion and drove her to fight against those who subject women to unwanted advances. The New York Times report came in the wake of her signing the letter with the hashtag #WeSaidEnough protesting sexual harassment.

In her latest post on Twitter, Garcia tried to explain the meaning of “consent.”

The assemblywoman's post can best be described as ironic considering the accusations against her.

Fierro in his interview with Politico illustrated the details of the alleged sexual harassment. He said in 2014 at a softball game in Sacramento, Garcia who appeared to be in an intoxicated state, began stroking his back while he was cleaning up the dugout. She then persisted with the inappropriate conduct and proceeded to grope him at which point he backed away and exited the scene.

In addition to this, Garcia was also accused of groping a prominent Sacramento lobbyist in May 2017. The lobbyist, who preferred to stay anonymous, told Politico that Garcia, in an inebriated state, at a fundraiser hosted by Gov. Jerry Brown for state Sen. Josh Newman at the de Veres bar in Sacramento made unwanted advances with suggestive sexual statements and then grabbed his crotch.

According to the lobbyist, it wasn't the first incident where the assemblywoman had made overtures. He related instances in the past where Garcia had asked him out only to be turned down. However she was resilient in her advances, he said.

Garcia, who was unaware of the allegations purported against her until the report was released Thursday, said, “Every complaint about sexual harassment should be taken seriously and I will participate fully in any investigation that takes place.”

“I have zero recollection of engaging in inappropriate behavior and such behavior is inconsistent with my values,” the Los Angeles-area lawmaker added, Time reported.