Texas Dem State Senator Refuses to Step Down after Felony Convictions, Sexual Allegations

Texas Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. right, enters the federal courthouse for a hearin
AP File Photo: Eric Gay

Following the conviction on fraud charges of Democrat Texas State Senator Carlos Uresti, new allegations of sexual harassment have emerged from two women. Democratic leaders and publications continue to call for the disgraced senator’s resignation which he says will not be forthcoming.

A federal jury found Senator Uresti (D-San Antonio) guilty on all 11 charges of criminal fraud on February 22, Breitbart Texas reported. Since his conviction, the senator has refused to step down.

The chairman of the Democratic Party of Texas, Tariq Thowfeek, distanced himself from the once-iconic Texas Democrat but came up short of demanding his resignation.

“After being found guilty of such serious crimes, Senator Uresti must seriously consider whether he can serve his constituents,” Texas Democratic Party Communications Director Tariq Thowfeek said, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

Women coming forward to the Daily Beast had no such reservations. The left of center news outlet expressed shock in their headline that the senator would not leave. “Women Say Texas Senator’s a Creep. Court Says He’s a Fraud. But He Won’t Leave Office,” Olivia Messer wrote.

Breitbart Texas reported in December about the allegations of sexual harassment made by women who spoke with the Daily Beast regarding the behavior of Senator Uresti and State Representative Borris Miles (D-Houston).

He was “known to hit on female staffers and used them to help him meet women,” a Democrat staffer referred to as Steve told the Daily Beast in a feature-length article.

One young female reporter, referred to as Rachel, told the news outlet that Uresti made “inappropriate comments” which she handled by “laughing it off.”

Now more allegations of sexual misconduct are being presented by the same outlet.

The Daily Beast reports:

One of Uresti’s new accusers, Jenn Cervella, worked as the data director of the state Democratic Party. She said she met Uresti at a political event that she was staffing in 2015.

“We were being introduced and when we shook hands, he spun me around and said something like, ‘Damn, girl—you’re trouble,’” Cervella told The Daily Beast on Tuesday.

“He was ogling my body. He spun me around so he could see what I looked like from behind. He wanted a 360-view,” she said. “He made me feel like I was frozen and had no ability to say anything.”

The article continues with the second woman’s comments:

Meanwhile, Isabella*, a former Democratic campaign staffer in Texas who says she witnessed Uresti harassing another woman, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that she was disgusted and angry when Uresti denied the stories published in December.

“It made me feel more compelled to talk about it,” she said, explaining that she felt the need to support the women who came forward to accuse the state senator in December.

“He was reaching his foot over to her barstool and trying to rub his foot onto her,” said Isabella. “We got up because she was uncomfortable and she wanted to leave.”

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick stripped the San Antonio Democrat of all of his committee assignments. Members of the Texas Senate Democrat Caucus also called on the senator to resign his post following his conviction.

As for Senator Uresti, he says he has no plans to leave, the Texas Tribune reported.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTXGAB, and Facebook.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.