Senator Carlos Uresti Statement on Sexual Misconduct Allegations

(Press Release) I respect the work of Annie’s List, and the good work that they do in electing progressive women to elected positions in this state.  Unfortunately, the request by Patsy Woods Martin, its Executive Director, is based solely on an un-sourced article from the Daily Beast.  While the story ends that the people being interviewed for this story “asked not to be named,” such un-sourced accusations, without specific information as to time, place or alleged accuser, prevents me from being able to defend myself from completely unfounded innuendo.  For example, the one specific incident referenced in the Daily Beast for which a specific date was given, accused me of having being seen with a young woman on the first night of the start of the 83rd Legislative Session.  The first day of that session took place on January 8, 2013.  While the Daily Beast reporter was correct that I had been seen that night with a beautiful woman; that woman was my beautiful wife, Lleanna, with whom I had exchanged marital vows in June of 2012.  We then sent the Daily Beast the photograph from that night of my wife Lleanna and I together celebrating the beginning of her first legislative session as my wife.  This photograph has long been proudly placed on her Facebook Page for almost five years.

To its credit, the Daily Beast since has posted the following UPDATE to its story:

UPDATE: After publication, Senator Uresti’s office provided Facebook posts showing he was with his wife at an Austin dinner on the night in question. His spokesperson could not confirm whether Uresti or his wife attended the session opening party at which the alleged incident occurred but said they were together the entire night.

I know that sexual harassment has no place in the Capitol or in any other workplace.  I believe the recent media exposure of improper conduct in the workplace with respect to media executives, news personalities and Washington politicians is both proper and constructive.  In this vein, I will be joining my colleagues to implement a comprehensive sexual harassment policy and trainings in the Texas Senate as soon as possible.

I look forward to continue to prepare for trial beginning on January 4, 2018, and to continuing my proud service to the constituents and children of Senate District 19 in the coming years.