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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The California Democratic Party has spent more than $800,000 in legal costs tied to three lawsuits alleging discrimination and sexual misconduct by its former chair, Eric Bauman. The Los Angeles Times reports Saturday that the party has paid $430,000 in attorney fees and $378,348 in legal settlements in the three cases. Bauman resigned as party chairman last year amid multiple allegations of excessive drinking and sexual harassment. The lawsuits alleged a culture of sexual misconduct that was "well-known and apparently tolerated" by top party officials

California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, who is facing an internal investigation after multiple party staffers accused him of sexual assault or harassment, is taking a leave of absence until the probe is finished, the party announced Monday. Party spokesperson Mike Roth said Bauman had decided to take a leave of absence "[a]fter taking the holiday weekend to consider the most constructive path forward for the work of the California Democratic Party". "Chair Bauman believes this decision is the best way to ensure the independence and integrity of the process," Roth added. "The Party is confident that the procedures in...

SACRAMENTO -- The California Democratic Party is investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against chairman Eric Bauman. A party vice chairman, Daraka Larimore-Hall, brought the charges against Bauman last week on behalf of anonymous accusers and called for Bauman's resignation. Larimore-Hall alleged that Bauman sexually harassed and assaulted people during party functions. Bauman narrowly won the party chairmanship last year against Kimberly Ellis after a contentious battle between establishment Democrats and progressive activists. During that fight, Bauman said he was falsely targeted by rumors he engaged in inappropriate behavior with teenage boys. Bauman is the party's first openly gay chairman. Bauman...

The media keeps screaming that Republicans have a "problem" with women. But it's women who have a problem with Democrats. This is the latest example of a national trend in politics and media. The California Democratic Party has launched an investigation into unspecified allegations of sexual misconduct against Chairman Eric Bauman involving party staff members. In a statement released Saturday evening, Bauman confirmed an investigation was underway but did not address the allegations against him. He said that independent counsel has been hired to investigate the matter. “I look forward to putting these allegations behind us and moving forward as...