Carlos Bustamante’s rise in Orange County political circles came to a sudden halt after a dozen female employees alleged that he had sexually harassed them. After a quick resignation from the County, the issue was over –for a time.
Now, however, the case of Bustamante has returned as County investigations apparently reveal that the allegations and the case against Bustamante was mishandled.
Now, County Supervisors are meeting in closed session to discuss the case and figure out how to move forward. The case could be referred to the Orange County District Attorney for a criminal investigation.
From the Voice of the OC:
The Orange County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday in an emergency closed session to discuss whether they should refer allegations of sexual misconduct against Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante to District Attorney Tony Rackauckas for a criminal investigation.
Bustamante, a onetime rising star in the local Republican Party, quickly resigned from his job as an executive in the OC Public Works department in October after county officials launched an investigation into the allegations made by about a dozen female employees. That seemed to be the end of the issue; Bustamante quietly departed and female workers involved did not file complaints.
Read the full article here.