See "Two More Reps. Complain About Treatment of Women in Hispanic
Caucus" for developing breaking news on this story.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0107/2572.html
Rep. Loretta Sanchez has quit the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,
accusing the chairman, Rep. Joe Baca, of telling people she's a
"*****."
Baca denied the charge.
In an interview with The Politico Wednesday, Sanchez, a California
Democrat as is Baca, also cited concerns about whether Baca was
properly elected Hispanic Caucus chairman in November and about his
general attitude toward female lawmakers. The caucus represents 21
Hispanic Democrats in Congress.
"I'm not going to be a part of the CHC as long as Mr. Baca illegally
holds the chair ... I told them no. There's a big rift here," Sanchez
said. "You treat the women like *****. I have no use for him."
In a statement to The Politico, Baca said Sanchez "has decided to
resign from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and has chosen to
air baseless statements. Let me be clear; her comments are
categorically untrue."
The last time lawmakers withdrew from the Hispanic caucus was in the
late 1990s when the group's Republican members left over partisan
differences.
Sanchez said she had been approached earlier this year to contribute
funds from her office budget to support the CHC's shared staff, a
requirement for all its members. She refused.
"I told them to take me off the list, take me off the Web site, take
me off everything," Sanchez said.
She said she was surprised and insulted when she learned that Baca had
made the disparaging personal comment about her to California Assembly
Speaker Fabian Nunez and other legislators last year.
Nunez "is a friend of mine. Did he think he wouldn't tell me?" Sanchez
asked.
Sanchez voted against Baca in the election for chairman in November.
Four other female lawmakers abstained from the vote, raising concerns
about whether the election followed proper procedures.
The Sanchez withdrawal is a blow to Baca and his allies who have been
trying to bring the caucus back together after a series of internal
spats last year. Many of the more junior members and the women have
butted heads with him and senior lawmakers.
Last February, six members withdrew from the group's political action
committee after Baca and his allies authorized political contributions
to family members who were running for state and local offices.
Sanchez was among that group of defectors, which also included her
sister, Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., and Democratic Reps. Dennis
Cardoza of California, Jim Costa of California, Raul M. Grijalva of
Arizona and Hilda L. Solis of California.
In recent weeks, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Calif., a CHC member who serves
in House leadership as assistant to the speaker, had been trying to
persuade the six members to rejoin the political action committee,
which is known as the Committee for Hispanic Causes/Building Our
Leadership Diversity. So far, it appears those efforts have not
succeeded. An invitation for a PAC fundraiser to be held Wednesday
night continues to omit the six.
Earlier this month, four female lawmakers wrote Baca asking that the
caucus repeat his election as chairman because the earlier vote failed
to use secret ballots, as required in the group's bylaws.
Sanchez and other female CHC members have repeatedly complained that
Baca and some of his male colleagues do not accord them a high level
of respect.
"There is a big rift. Hello? Do they not get this?" Sanchez said.
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