Harassment allegations shine light on Capitol party culture

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s Capitol is awash in allegations of sexual harassment, creating an atmosphere that’s affecting how men and women interact.

Holding meetings over drinks or winding down at a bar after a hectic day in the Legislature is a regular part of Sacramento, where policymaking and deal-cutting often depend on personal relationships. After-work campaign fundraisers and other evening events provide numerous opportunities for colleagues to do business and socialize.

Those days might not be gone, but there’s unquestionably a changed sensitivity about them.

Behavior at such events has crossed into inappropriate territory. Democratic Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra of Los Angeles was disciplined in 2009 when he was a legislative staff member. Elise Gyore, another Capitol staffer, had accused him of putting his hands down her blouse at a Sacramento nightclub.