Women Of Hispanic Caucus Angry Over Insult

Rep. Joe Baca Reportedly Called Rep. Loretta Sanchez A "Whore"

(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.

[antoniof123]

Who cares.

[kiwi_chick]

Hmmmm, she said he said; he said he never said; the he who reportedly said it said he never said it...someone is lying. What a surprise. My question is, why isn't Sanchez upset for Nunez for denying hearing the slur...if in fact he heard it at all. Democrats, republicans, they're all the same.

[badbrown126]

They have been reporting this news story on FOX for two days.

[randalds]

I don't see anything here. She said he said it, he says he didn't. There's no way to prove it either way. Neither of them seem to have a history of making things up or trouble-making. It's entirely possible that it's a simple misunderstanding. Happens all the time. Let's move on to something important, like impeaching Bush or the coming revolution.

[blondmadison]

This is what should be done:

Hire a surveillance crew--wire his home and office and vehicle with video and audio - like a candid camera show---that's what you tell people to get cooperation---wait till you get him doing something wrong or immoral or illegal or downright embarrassing---submit footage to YouTube and away he goes---into the political cemetary.

[susanhelit]

Don't know how much I care about this - but it's not "he said, she said". There are at least two, and she's claiming more, who heard him say it. And just him denying.

[huskerarmy]

"They have been reporting this news story on FOX for two days.
Posted by badbrown126 at 01:39 PM : Feb 02, 2007
CNN(commy news network) sure won't cover it."

1. This is the level that appeals to the typical FOX viewer.
2. Anything that detracts from the Dems is the FOX agenda. The [Obama undercover terrorist] story simply backfired on them.

[badbrown126]

When I posted "They have been reporting this news story on FOX for two days. " I was not trying to insult people on the left. Remove your knee from the bottom of the table.

I was simply making an observation .... and trying to make a point. If this incident involved Republicans it would have been more widely reported.

Also ... I would like to point out the obvious. I am placing commments on a CBS website so obviously I enjoy reading more than one side of the R -vs- D argument. Fox reports both sides of the debate with Joy ... they are likely to slam a Republican or Democrat with equal zeal. They reported the Mark Foley scandal easily as much as CNN or any other network covered it.

But .. they also give equal time to Democratic scandals. This should be the case with every network.

With respect ... B

[obiwan234]

He forgot to mention that Rep. Loretta Sanchez is also a theif and a fraud. She isn't even Hispanic, Sanchez is her husbands name.

[getserious1]

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 ***!

[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!

[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.

[processor2]

Liberals do love to call people names.

So much for tolerance & diversity.

..........

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.