Over the weekend, OC Labor Fed chief Julio Perez wrote and quickly deleted a Facebook post but not before screen grabbers snatched a copy of it. The copy we were sent doesn’t have the actual date and time stamp, but there were a little more than a half-dozen “likes” before it came down.
Perez, on paid leave from OCLF pending an independent investigation into possible sexual abuse of interns and other women at the Labor Fed, may have made a mistake that he won’t be able to recover from.
According to this story in OC Weekly, it appears that at least five women have complained about Perez for alleged harassment and TheLiberalOC has been told that investigators have spoken to more than a few of them. The challenge for any investigation in sexual harassment claims is for victims to come forward and, when possible, offer proof. Patterns of comments and behavior that become common from witness interviews is also damning.
Perez’s social media post angered Santa Ana activist Tish Leon who posted the screen grab. She posted this comment on December 2:
Seriously! Julio is not only a predator but a coward!
He is resorting to his tactics as a bully!
He needs to go down!
Again where are the women & men to call him on this?…
Why are you being silent?
If you are being silent because he’s a friend, then you need to re-evaluate your judgement on his friendship. If he does this to his victim, then watch your back!
If you truly are in support of women’s rights, then speak out!
Back up our sisters who are being mistreated!
This makes me sick!!!
A friend of Tish’s commented on the piece and it’s not clear if Perez’s post was meant for her, but she certainly thought it was and wrote this:
I don’t expect you to face me and threaten me in person like you do your “homies”. You are gonna send your Comadres to do that for you, shit they already sent me friend requests I don’t need to clean up my name because those who I care about know what I stand for and they know who I be. Sad to see that you know nothing about me, and that your little attempt at bullying me into silence didn’t work out the way you wanted to. The only reason why I am taking time away from my beautiful children to write this is not because you called me a “……” and I have to prove I am not, no I am calling you out because people need to know the special kind of coward and bully you are. It takes some kind of bottom feeder to attack a woman like me, unlike you I would not be able to look at people in the eye and “hang out” como si nada if I had done someone wrong. Lastly, I will see that there isn’t a single open door for you in public service, because Karma is a bitch and she remembers what you did to others!
That same friend posted this message on another string:
Why is it that the same firm conducting the investigation is the same one representing him? Orange County Labor Federation Why have no measures have been taken to provide victims with as much support as you have provided the perpetrator? Is a class action lawsuit gonna make you do the right thing? Do women have to continue to relive the trauma and harm caused by Julio Perez in order for something to be done? Or are advocates gonna have to rally and demand transparency and clear intentions in order to protect SEIU, CSEA, and all Union, Labor, Government reps and community members from “Julio Hugs”?
TheLiberalOC has no information about which law firm is conducting the investigation or if this firm also represents Perez or OCLF.
It’s been nearly six weeks since allegations first came out and the reaction to many #metoo activists is “what’s taking so long?” There are still concerns the union will somehow sweep this investigation under the rug, that’s why TheLiberalOC encourages victims of any sexual harassment or abuse to come forward and talk to investigators. It’s the only way to resolve this issue in just about any organization.
What a pig Julio is. Fire him already. Stop this sham.
Oh come on. Crazy Greg said he was watching Emeril!
The collateral damage to Jose, Greg, Jeff and Fran will be pretty fierce. What hypocrites!
If the whole story ever came out, oc progressive politics as we know it would be redefined. Lots of people should go down for what they covered up.
I remain VERY concerned about the behavior/response by party leaders specifically: Fran Sdrao, Jeff LeTournue, Dr. Bill and moreover, the vocal activists who insist we are to SPEAK UP and SPEAK OUT: Mirevette Judah, Victor Valladares, Greg Diamond, yet None of these people nor Stalwart Latino activists like Jose Moreno, the Anaheim HS guy…………..HAVE SPOKEN OUT TO WHAT IS OBVIOUS.
HAVE WE TRAVELLED THAT FAR, THAT JULIO’S ACTIONS ARE PERMISSABLE?
Why won’t these hypocrites speak out?
Mirvette has spoken out against Julio lets give credit where its due. Greg and Jeff outright defend him. Moreno, Al Jabbar, Carina Frank Pantone, Laura Kanter, Carolina Sarmiento, Rida Hamida, Ben Vazquez, Ada Briseno? What say you all? Dan I think you should ask them.
The movement in the US Senate to force Al Franken (D – MN) for egregious acts speak volume about the seriousness of sexual harassment. Men and Women at the HIGHEST LEVELS of government (US Senate) have asked for Franken to resign.
Meanwhile here, the cowards, specifically the ethically challenged Greg Diamond and his Brother-in-law Jeff Letourneau remain defensive, defiant and now silent.
Equally culpable is EVERYONE else who is helping sweep this under the rug. This is an obvious F%^k Job on women, Democrats and our intelligence. The mere suggestion by Dumbass Diamond that Julio “might” be referring to “food porn” should have been met with swift condemnation.
Under separate cover, I will share or ask someone like the publisher to share a conversation I was a party to this past weekend, specifically referring to the protection of Julio and the great lengths both the union and the party are going to “make this go away”.
All I can say now is Ada Bricineo is the BIGGEST FRAUD. She is out for NO ONE but her interest. Put down the bullhorn Ada, you are the worst kind of activist: a “paid agitator”. that’s all you are: SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT!
Did Iyad Afalqa really like Julio’s comment? It’s time for him to go. This in addition to his lauding of Republican Tom Tait as a “principled Progressive Republican” even as he refused to fly the LGBT Pride Flag in front of Anaheim City Hall during Pride Month. If his like of Julio’s post is meant to condone Julio’s behavior, every Irvine Democratic Club, DPOC, and CDP member should call for his immediate resignation from all Democratic Party leadership positions. This is unacceptable…
I did not see the original post but it appears he did like the comment so did others
With Senator Franken (whom I strongly supported) announcing his resignation in the face of (and only) his contemporaries DEMANDING it, on rightful grounds, how does Greg Diamond, who compared sexual harassment to over eating “Food Porn”, Jeff LeTourneu who has his own questionable past regarding sex, Ada Bricenio who has been the LOUDEST CHAPINA (sound familiar…) position themselves now?
Really, Greg, Food Porn? you have crawled into the COWARD CAVE once, your buddy, “five time Vern’, or “Violent Victor Valladares” gets exposed.
The mark of a man, Greg Diamond does not show up.
Jeff…..Jeff Please come help…..PLEASE JEFF…HELP ME.
Julio Perez and people like him count on the silence of those the prey on
They also count on the silence of leaders in the community such as Congress Members, Assembly Members, Council Member and other community leaders
Those that won’t stand up and speak out publicly against Julio Perez and others like him are as much a problem as Julio Perez
Julio Perez and those like him use threats, manipulation and even violence to keep silent those who dare speak out against them and stand up for those unable or unwilling to do so
This has gone on for far too long, from the upper reaches of our government to the smoky back halls of local halls of power
When we stand together, it shall occur no more………..
Many young women who have crossed paths with Julio Perez in some way over the years knows that he has used his power and status to overpower women, inappropriately come onto women, and make inappropriate comments to women. Many young women left OC politics to seek out other careers in part because of the OC political elite, including even some women who had been harassed by Julio in the past, protecting or tolerating this type behavior.