California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, leader of one of the most influential political forces in the nation, said Thursday he intended to resign after allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior toward party staff members and activists.

Bauman’s decision to resign follows a report from The Times on Wednesday that said 10 party staff members and political activists had accused him of making crude sexual comments and engaging in unwanted touching or physical intimidation in professional settings.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” Bauman said.

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and other top Democrats, including state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Controller Betty Yee, had earlier called on Bauman to resign, ratcheting up the pressure for him to step down.

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“Sexual harassment shouldn’t be tolerated — no person or party, no matter how powerful, is above accountability,” Newsom’s spokesman, Nathan Click, said on Thursday.

State Democratic Party Secretary Jenny Bach, a member of the Young Democrats, said the allegations against Bauman revealed that the party has serious self-examination to do to avoid a similar situation in the future.

“Our party is not perfect, and we can and must do better going forward to ensure we can provide support and accountability for all survivors,” Bach said in a statement released by the party.

Bauman’s resignation comes during a nationwide reckoning on sexual harassment and assault that was ushered in by the #MeToo movement, which has led to the downfall of powerful figures including Hollywood moguls, entertainers, politicians and CEOs. Bauman, a gay married man, faces accusations of misconduct from men and women, including many young, low-level party staffers who felt their futures in politics were, at least in part, at his mercy.

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A Bronx-born former nurse who rose to political power through his years as a labor leader and LGBTQ political activist, Bauman, 59, led the Los Angeles County Democratic Party from 2000 to 2017 before party delegates elected him chairman of the California Democratic Party. As leader, he helped guide the party’s campaign efforts, fundraising and policy positions.

California Democratic Chairman Eric Bauman accused of sexually explicit comments, unwanted touching >>

On Saturday, Bauman said he would take a leave of absence after he was accused of unspecified misconduct in a letter by state party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall that referred to “a clear and escalating pattern of Chairman Bauman’s horrific and dehumanizing behavior” and called for his resignation. Bauman said in a statement that he hoped to put the matter behind him after an independent investigation was conducted by outside counsel hired by the party.

Bauman was then confronted on Wednesday with several allegations of misconduct in a story by The Times that said seven current party staffers had accused him of making sexually explicit comments in the workplace, including references to his and and others’ genitalia, and remarks about sex acts and his sexual attraction to some staff members.

In statement to The Times responding to the allegations, Bauman said he would “seek medical intervention to address serious, ongoing health issues and to begin treatment for what I now realize is an issue with alcohol.”

“The events of the last few days have given me the opportunity to reflect on my actions and their potential effect on other people. I deeply regret if my behavior has caused pain to any of the outstanding individuals with whom I’ve had the privilege to work. I appreciate the courage it took for these individuals to come forward to tell their stories,” Bauman said. “In the interest of allowing the [California Democratic Party’s] independent investigation to move forward, I do not wish to respond to any of the specific allegations.”

Larimore-Hall renewed his call for Bauman’s resignation on Wednesday, and said a thorough investigation of the allegations and the culture inside the state party was needed.

“We must make it clear that sexual harassment will not be tolerated on any level, by anyone,” he said. “Throughout, we must engage one another with solidarity and respect, but we must also be brave enough to look inward and ask difficult questions. One thing is clear: People of a range of genders, gender expressions and sexual orientations felt unsafe working in and around the CDP. We share a profound responsibility to fix that.”

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Alexandra “Alex” Gallardo Rooker, the party’s first vice chair and now acting chair, assumed Bauman’s duties after he went on leave Saturday. According to party bylaws, Rooker will remain in that post until the executive board appoints a temporary chair. Delegates will then vote on a new chair at the next state Democratic Party convention, most likely in May.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Rooker said she has no intention of running to be the party’s next chair. She promised to continue the independent investigation into the allegations that led to Bauman’s resignation, and said a summary of the findings would be made public.

“I care deeply about all of our staff and volunteers and my heart aches to know that any may have suffered harassment or abuse,” Rooker said. “There is no place for harassment or abuse in our party or in any workplace. As a party, all of our officers and senior staff must be committed to ensuring that the culture of our workplace changes for the better.”

Coverage of California politics »

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

Updates on California politics

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UPDATES:

4:46 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Alex Rooker.

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about Bauman’s resignation and a comment from California Democratic Party Secretary Jenny Bach.

This article was originally published at 1:15 p.m.</s>California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman resigned Thursday amid an investigation into allegations that he sexually harassed and assaulted several party staff members.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain ... to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the Party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” Bauman said in a statement Thursday night.

Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the party, confirmed that Bauman had submitted his resignation. Alexandra Gallardo Rooker, who assumed the role of acting chair on Tuesday, will continue to lead the party until a new permanent chair is elected, he said.

Bauman had been California Democratic Party chairman since May 2017. He was the first openly gay person to lead the party in the state.

A growing chorus of voices had called for Bauman’s resignation in the days since Daraka Larimore-Hall, the state party’s vice chairman, sent a letter to the party’s secretary last week urging Bauman’s removal.

In the letter, Larimore-Hall said he had been approached by several party staff members with “credible, corroborated and utterly heart-breaking” allegations that Bauman had sexually harassed and assaulted them. On Saturday, Bauman issued a statement saying that an independent probe had been launched by an outside investigator.

After the Los Angeles Times published a detailed report on Wednesday with accounts from several of the alleged victims, the drumbeat for Bauman’s resignation grew louder. Ten party staffers and activists told the newspaper that for more than a decade, Bauman engaged in a range of inappropriate behavior, from making sexually explicit comments to unwanted touching.

Bauman also frequently consumed alcohol during the workday in violation of state party policy, several staff members told the Times.

On Thursday morning, California Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom (D) called for Bauman to step down. “The governor-elect believes the investigation should move forward and the victims should be heard,” Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said. “But given the numerous detailed, severe and corroborated allegations reported by The Times, he believes the best course of action for the party is for the chair to resign.”

The investigation into Bauman’s behavior is expected to continue.

In his statement, Bauman hailed what the party had achieved in the “18 short months” of his tenure.</s>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The California Democratic Party chairman resigned Thursday following a cascade of sexual misconduct allegations and mounting pressure from party leaders who wanted a quick resolution to an embarrassing interruption from the party’s midterm victory celebration.

Eric Bauman’s resignation came less than a week after he first faced public accusations of sexual misconduct, although the party received at least one report of inappropriate behavior ahead of the Nov. 6 election.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” Bauman said in a statement.

It followed a call from Governor-elect Gavin Newsom and other officials for Bauman to resign after the Los Angeles Times reported multiple allegations of crude comments and inappropriate touching by Bauman. He said Wednesday he would seek treatment for alcohol abuse and other health issues.

Bauman did not directly address the allegations against him. Instead he cheered his own accomplishments as the party’s leader, a post he narrowly won after a bitter 2017 battle between so-called establishment Democrats, who were Bauman’s allies, and progressive activists. Bauman was the party’s first openly gay chairman.

California Democrats won sweeping victories in the November election that furthered the party’s grip on power in Congress and the state Legislature. A replacement likely won’t be chosen until the party’s convention next May, said Alex Gallardo-Rooker, the acting chair.

She said Thursday she won’t seek the post and will instead focus on ensuring a smooth transition of power and creating a better work culture.

An investigation into Bauman could bring further scrutiny on the party when its results are released.

Eric Schickler, a professor of political science at the University of California-Berkeley, said Bauman’s resignation is unlikely to cause direct problems for the party given the election has passed. But it does put pressure on the party to act more swiftly in the future.

“It sends a message to the party, if there is a next time where there are these kinds of open secrets, we really need to deal with it more aggressively,” Schickler said.

Party vice chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall on Nov. 20 submitted accusations of sexual harassment and assault by Bauman against unnamed victims to the party, secretary Jenny Bach said Thursday. That kicked off a process that allows Bauman to formally respond. Outside attorneys have also been hired to investigate.

David Campos, chairman of the San Francisco Democratic Party, said another complaint was raised with the party ahead of the election. Campos and members of U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s team asked Bauman not to attend a Nov. 2 event in San Francisco after hearing two young women reported drinking and inappropriate comments by him during a campaign bus tour.

Grace Leekley told the Los Angeles Times that Bauman asked her and another 21-year-old party staffer if they were sexually involved on Nov. 1.

Larimore-Hall said that story and multiple others, including more serious allegations of sexual assault, prompted him to call for Bauman’s removal last week.

“I heard enough stories that to me it was really clear he shouldn’t be our chair,” Larimore-Hall said Thursday. He held a conference call with six victims Thursday to talk about how to move forward, he said.

Newsom, the incoming governor, “is troubled by the serious allegations,” his spokesman Nathan Click said in a statement.

“Sexual harassment shouldn’t be tolerated – no person or party, no matter how powerful, is above accountability,” the statement said.</s>After they allowed Harvey Weinstein to donate millions of dollars to political campaigns and host dozens of gala black-tie fundraisers in support of their candidates, it appears the California State Democratic Party is finally learning to take allegations of sexual assault seriously.

Three days after taking a "leave of absence" from running the state Democratic Party - and just a few hours after Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom called on him to quit - California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman resigned Thursday afternoon.

Rumors that multiple victims were preparing to come forward to accuse Bauman of sexual harassment and sexual assault began circulating on social media Friday night, prompting Daraka Larimore-Hall, the state party's second-vice chair, to file paperwork on Saturday to initiate the process to have Bauman removed. In a letter sent to the party that was reported by the Sacramento Bee, Larimore-Hall alleged that he had learned of the incidents after speaking with two of the victims and a witness who accused Bauman of intimidation.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times published a report detailing the allegations against Beuman from 10 party staffers and political activists, who accused Bauman of transgressions ranging from making crude sexual comments to engaging in unwanted touching or physical intimidation.

Following Newsom's calls for Bauman to resign, a party spokesman said sexual harassment would not be tolerated.

Bauman said in a statement on Thursday that he recognized that "it was in everyone's best interest" for him to resign.

"I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the Party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party," Bauman said.

And so another virtue signaling Democrat is felled by their own hypocrisy.</s>LOS ANGELES >> In the midst of an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman announced his resignation Thursday, Nov. 29.

Bauman, former head of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, said in a statement the decision is in “everyone’s best interest,” including “those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal.”

Bauman took a leave of absence on Monday amid reports of the allegations and news of the investigation. Pressure on Bauman mounted on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Times reported on allegations made by 10 party staffers and political activists accusing him of making crude sexual comments and engaging in unwanted touching or physical intimidation.

Bauman said Wednesday he would be seeking treatment for health issues and “an issue with alcohol.”

By Thursday, however, Bauman opted to step down from his post.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” he said in a statement.

“My dream was to create an environment at the CDP where the officers were partners, actual participants in the planning and operation of the party; where delegates and staff could share their ideas and concerns; where outreach into key communities was not limited to the campaign cycle, but was a permanent year-round commitment; where our meetings were focused on our delegates and their interests and needs; where new and creative ideas, concepts and technologies were tested, adopted and integrated; where the most innovative, sophisticated and comprehensive campaigns could be built and executed, and as a result we could engage and participate in all parts of the state; where Democrats could be elected in places long written off as unlikely, unwinnable or unimaginable; and that our relationships with grassroots groups, labor and our legislative leadership and political teams would grow and be strengthened.

“I leave knowing that in 18 short months we did all of that,” he said.

Last week, Daraka Larimore-Hall, a vice chairman of the state party, sent a letter to state Democratic Party leadership calling for Bauman’s removal, saying he had spoken to two of the alleged victims and that their stories “illustrate a clear and escalating pattern of Chairman Bauman’s horrific and dehumanizing behavior.” She re-iterated that call Wednesday following The Times report.

The Times on Wednesday reported that Bauman, who is gay, has a reputation for being brash and boisterous, but his behavior became inappropriate over the course of a decade. The paper cited eight current party staffers who said Bauman would make sexually explicit comments in the workplace to men and women alike, referring to sex acts, his and other staffers’ genitalia and being sexually attracted to staff members. One female staffer based in Southern California told The Times Bauman made obscene comments to her at a dinner in September of last year.

A gay male party official told The Times that during work interactions, Bauman would ask him about his sex life.

The staff members also told the paper they experienced or witnessed Bauman engaging in unwanted physical contact, particularly with male staffers, The Times reported.

Bauman was elected chairman of the party in 2017, after a closely contested election against progressive activist Kimberly Ellis. A former nurse and organizer, he led the Los Angeles County Democrats for 17 years and also served as vice chairman for the statewide party for eight years.</s>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - The chairman of the California state Democratic Party said on Thursday he would resign amid allegations that he engaged in unspecified sexual misconduct with party staffers.

Eric Bauman, a key player in Democrats’ recent electoral successes in the state, has said in recent days that he regretted pain his behavior had caused others. He did not specify the allegations against him but he also did not deny them.

State party officials are conducting an investigation but did not give details about the accusations.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the Party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” said Bauman, 59, the first openly gay person to head the state party.

Bauman’s decision to step down came after calls for his resignation by the state’s Governor-elect, Democrat Gavin Newsom, as well as members of the party executive committee.

The allegations against Bauman surfaced earlier this month, when another party official, Vice Chair Daraka Larimore-Hall, began proceedings to remove him after talking with staff members of the state Democratic Party.

In addition to removing Bauman, “we also must conduct a truly independent investigation, not only into these specific allegations of harassment and assault, but into the structures and culture of the party that allowed this to happen,” Larimore-Hall said in a statement. “We must make it clear that sexual harassment will not be tolerated on any level, by anyone.”

The scandal comes after the party’s “blue wave” triumph in November’s midterm congressional elections, which saw Orange County in southern California, once a bastion for the Republicans, become wholly represented by Democrats in Congress.</s>FILE - In this Saturday, May 20, 2017 file photo, Eric Bauman addresses the California Democratic Party annual convention as he seeks their vote for chairman in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF / AP) — California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman announced Thursday that he plans to resign, following a cascade of sexual harassment allegations that emerged against him in recent days.

Bauman’s decision came hours after Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called for the embattled chairman to step aside. Bauman said he would immediately give his resignation to party officials.

Newsom cited a Los Angeles Times article describing allegations of crude comments and inappropriate physical touching by Bauman, including asking two young women if they were sexually involved.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” Bauman said in a statement.

He did not directly address the allegations against him.

Bauman’s resignation announcement came after he said Wednesday he is seeking treatment for alcohol abuse and other health issues while he takes leave from the party chairmanship he narrowly won in early 2017. He is the party’s first openly gay chairman.

The party shake up comes as California Democrats celebrate sweeping victories in the November election that furthered the party’s grip on power in Congress and the state Legislature.

He has faced mounting pressure to quit since the party’s vice chairman, Daraka Larimore-Hall, made allegations of sexual harassment and assaults by Bauman against unnamed victims.

Before Larimore-Hall’s accusations, someone made a sexual harassment complaint to the party against Bauman days ahead of the midterm election, said David Campos, chairman of the San Francisco Democratic Party.

He told The Associated Press that two young women reported drinking and comments about sex by Bauman during a state Democratic Party bus tour. The Los Angeles Times quoted two 21-year-old women describing Bauman asking them if they were sexually involved at a stop on the tour.

Newsom, the incoming Democratic governor, “is troubled by the serious allegations,” his spokesman Nathan Click said in a statement.

“Sexual harassment shouldn’t be tolerated — no person or party, no matter how powerful, is above accountability,” the statement said.

Newsom’s statement said the investigation should continue so victims can be heard, “but given the numerous detailed, severe and corroborated allegations reported by the Times, he believes the best course of action for the party is for the chair to resign.”

California Democratic Party Secretary Jenny Bach also called Thursday for Bauman to resign, citing the “harrowing and upsetting” allegations.

© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>California Democratic Party chairman Eric Bauman stepped down on Thursday, the day after the Los Angeles Times published an article detailing sexual misconduct allegations from 10 party staff members and political activists.

According to CBS Los Angeles, the state party's Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall last week began initiating proceedings to have Bauman removed after allegations of misconduct surfaced. Bauman announced on Saturday that he was taking a leave of absence. He said on Wednesday, the day the Times report was published, that he would seek treatment for alcohol abuse.

According to eight current party members who spoke to the Times, Bauman would "regularly make sexually explicit comments in the workplace to men and women, including remarks about sexual acts, his and other staffers' genitalia, and being sexually attracted to staff members."

Bauman has expressed remorse for his behavior. "I deeply regret if my behavior has caused pain to any of the outstanding individuals with whom I've had the privilege to work. I appreciate the courage it took for these individuals to come forward to tell their stories," Bauman told the Times on Wednesday.

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats called on Bauman to resign on Wednesday.</s>LOS ANGELES — Eric C. Bauman, the California Democratic Party leader, stepped down on Thursday over allegations of sexual misconduct following calls for him to quit — including from Gavin Newsom, the state’s governor-elect.

Mr. Bauman’s resignation — 18 months after he took the high-profile job — came after he was accused by fellow party members of sexual harassment and misconduct. Those accusations were followed by a Los Angeles Times story detailing accusations of sexually charged comments and inappropriate touching by Mr. Bauman, who is openly gay.

The resignation comes at a heady time for the California Democrats. The party triumphed on Election Day, sweeping six of the seven Republican-held congressional seats they had set out to win. And the Democratic candidate in the seventh district, T.J. Cox, is now ahead in the count over Representative David Valadao, a Republican, though the race has not yet been officially called.

Mr. Bauman had first responded to the accusations by appointing an outside law firm to investigate. After the story in The Los Angeles Times, he said he was seeking treatment for alcohol abuse.</s>Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman resigned on Thursday in light of sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced late last week and detailed in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.

“I have made the realization that in order for those to whom I may have caused pain and who need to heal, for my own health, and in the best interest of the Party that I love and to which I have dedicated myself for more than 25 years, it is in everyone’s best interest for me to resign my position as chair of the California Democratic Party,” Bauman said in a statement on Thursday.

The allegations against Bauman were made public on Nov. 23, when a letter written by Democratic Party Vice Chair Daraka Larimore-Hall outlining the allegations circulated across the internet. Larimore-Hall’s letter said that anonymous whistleblowers had come forward alleging Bauman had either sexually harassed or assaulted them and called for his resignation.

On Monday, Bauman released a statement attributing his misconduct to alcoholism, said he welcomed an investigation into his behavior and would take a leave of absence while he received treatment.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times published an investigation detailing the allegations. In the Times’ story, which corroborated some of the allegations with text messages, unnamed party activists and staff members alleged Bauman frequently made inappropriate, sexually explicit comments and made unwanted touches to mens’ backs and abdomens.

“The governor-elect believes the investigation should move forward and the victims should be heard. But given the numerous detailed, severe and corroborated allegations reported by The Times, he believes the best course of action for the party is for the chair to resign,” Newsom’s spokesman Nathan Click said.

Bauman, a former nurse and veteran political operative from Los Angeles, became party chair in May 2017 after a protracted battle with Kimberly Ellis that divided moderate and progressive Democrats.

He was heralded as the first openly gay party chair.

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Sam Metz covers county and state politics. Reach him at sam.metz@desertsun.com.
Eric C. Bauman resigns as California Democratic Party chairman after accusations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior toward party staff members and activists.