Women Of Hispanic Caucus Angry Over Insult

(CBS/AP)  Three female members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus accused the organization's male leaders Thursday of treating women unfairly. Rep. Loretta Sanchez said the caucus chairman called her a "whore."

Rep. Joe Baca denied uttering the insult, which Sanchez cited among grievances that led her to announce this week she was quitting the group.

"Let me be clear: Her comments are categorically untrue," said Baca, who like Sanchez is a California Democrat.

"He said it. For him to deny it is just a silly thing," Sanchez said in an interview.

Sanchez told the Orange County Register Thursday that if the caucus had "a legal election and elected somebody who would be worthy of that chairmanship, of course I'll be back and working with them."

She and Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., said Baca made the comment at an event in Sacramento, Calif., over the summer and that it was repeated to them by people they declined to identify.

"Name-calling never helps anything," said Sanchez, adding she confronted Baca about the comment. "He just shook for awhile and then he said, 'That's a lie."'

The controversy, which became public with a report Wednesday on the Web site politico.com about the "whore" comment, was the latest evidence of conflict between men in the growing caucus and a smaller, mostly female contingent.

Politico.com said it was California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez who heard the comment from Baca and repeated it to Sanchez. Nunez said Thursday he had no recollection of either event. Sanchez said later Thursday she did not raise Nunez's name with politico.com.

Baca was supported by only one of six women in the 21-member caucus when he was elected chairman in November. Solis, Loretta Sanchez and her sister, Linda — the three who raised concerns in comments Thursday about treatment of women in the caucus — along with Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York subsequently disputed the election procedure and asked for a new secret-ballot vote. All caucus members are Democrats.

Other concerns include Baca's decision to use money from the caucus' political action committee to fund his sons' unsuccessful campaigns for state office in California last year. That led Solis, the Sanchez sisters and three other lawmakers to sever ties with the fundraising group.

There also is a perception among female caucus members that their concerns are given short shrift in a caucus that — like the Congress as a whole — remains overwhelmingly male, despite high-profile advances by women in Congress.

"I think there tends to be the sentiment that there has to be more work done to improve relationships in the caucus and the treatment of women in the caucus," Solis said in an interview.

"I am waiting to see if the Hispanic Caucus leadership will make good on its promise to be more fair and inclusive of its Latina members," said Linda Sanchez, whose district is near her older sister's in Southern California.

Thursday night, Baca released a second statement that was lengthier than his initial denials. He didn't directly address the accusations of lack of respect toward women, instead reiterating that the controversy was "based on untruths."

"A months-old internal Hispanic Caucus discussion has been repackaged into accusations with sexual overtones through irresponsible reporting and inflammatory headline-writing," he said.

[duhrer]

"It is newsworthy because the behavior of hispanics, who are essentially guests living off the pity of America, is vitally important to understand. We all want to know if they are going to behave the way they do in South America, which is lawless, selfish and brutal night and day." -- SharnCedar

Congrats - I haven't seen a more bigoted, ignorant posting here. Your ignorance of the "hispanic" people you seem to hate so much is beyond words.

[nottah8ter]

Ok, I%u2019ll bite. In response to plowhandler's comment; I would like to say thank you for showing us the exact type of a warped mindset necessary to give the events stated in this article credence. The kind of mind required, lacking in logical thought, communication skills and emotional maturity, compelled to make offensive, degrading comments about others and then deny it. You offer proof positive that asinine, moronic misogynistic beings are not only found in elected officials like Baca and Schwartzy, regardless of party line, but in some of the public they were sworn to represent. You must be representative of that public. You are over 18 right?! Your revealing words shine a bright light on the putrid state of the un-evolved mind and the continued need for accessible, mental health services for elected officials and the public.

[bellal-2009]

Is this the same Hispanic congresswoman who told Schwarzegger she was a Hot Latina and was promoting the title on TV? You can't have it both ways. It's like Modonna complaining the media made her a *** symbol and not to be taken seriously.

[randalds]

It's still a he said/she said. There are no witnesses to it so there is no way to tell if he said it, if she is lying or if it was a simple misunderstanding (most likely answer). It's a tempest in a teapot, there is no way to resolve it anyway, so let's move on.

[davey214]

I havn't heard that there has been an investigation into the charge that Ms. Sanchez may be guilty of prostitution. She is certianly innocent until proven guilty, but if there is no investigation how can we ever know for sure? It doesn't take a philosopher to understand that the charge of "***" dosn't always mean "*** for cash." It is also used metaphorically to refer to any person who compromises their morals for earthly benefit. Politics has always tended toward this, and that there would be a politician who was not a *** would be more of a story.

[newcaledonia]

"which is lawless, selfish and brutal night and day."

Isn't that descriptive of how the Bush Administration behaves? For them...the above is "business as usual."

And Obiwan234, Sanchez is not Loretta's married name, she is a 1st generation American born to LEGAL Mexican immigrants. She IS however, married to an American named Stephen Brixey. She has a sister, Linda SANCHEZ who represents a nearby district in Orange County, CA. Check your facts first, then maybe you'll come across like you know something.

[sharncedar]

It is newsworthy because the behavior of hispanics, who are essentially guests living off the pity of America, is vitally important to understand. We all want to know if they are going to behave the way they do in South America, which is lawless, selfish and brutal night and day.

[processor2]

Liberals do love to call people names.

So much for tolerance & diversity.

..........

[randalds]

THAT'S WHY FOX IS #1
Posted by b48151 at 02:26 PM : Feb 02, 2007

Only in their own polls. Fox has been hemorrhaging viewers for the last 2 years. At this rate they'll be at the bottom of the barrel within another one or two.

[randalds]

Way to go randaids!! Show your true impartial, non-patisan position!! A simple Misunderstanding?? Come on, she is on record saying that he called her a 'wh*re'...He says he never said that. One of them HAS to be lying!! And you keep telling us, with NO facts, that Bush is the great liar, at least here, there is NO doubt that ONE of them is LYING!! Oh, but you are a liberal and of course, there must be 'some other explanation' because a democrat would never lie!!! What a crock of ***!
Posted by getserious1 at 03:05 PM : Feb 02, 2007

WOW I'll bet you were literally foaming at the mouth when you typed that! *** I'm good!