The Hidalgo County GOP chair and her brother claim a lawsuit filed by a woman alleging a sexual harassment cover-up is a failed attempt to hurt their father’s political aspirations.
The response, which was filed in court on Tuesday, describes the allegations against them as an attempt by their political foes to sway their father’s bid for an appellate court seat, as well as other unspecified Republican campaigns in the Rio Grande Valley.
Cadence Vaughan, a recent high school graduate who was involved with the Hidalgo County Teenage Republicans, filed the lawsuit against political operative Aron Peña III and his sister, Adrienne Peña-Garza, chair of the Hidalgo County GOP.
Peña III resigned from former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores’ campaign in September following multiple allegations of sexual harassment. He was her district director.
He has since denied those allegations and said he resigned for health reasons.
Vaughan alleges Peña III forcefully kissed her and touched her thigh while driving her home from a July political function. The alleged behavior continued despite her recoiling and telling him to stop, according to the lawsuit.
That petition alleges Peña-Garza was indifferent and more concerned about her brother’s political value.
“Defendant Adrienne and the local Hidalgo County GOP which she controls, keeps Defendant Aron, a predator, on the loose and feeds him young interns because he serves their interest as a political bully,” the lawsuit said.
The suit also includes a variety of other allegations about Peña III’s relationships with young women and claims Peña-Garza knew about the allegations, but took no action and allowed the alleged misconduct to continue.
“In fact, instead of protecting these girls she made an effort to protect her brother by covering up for his indiscretions and attacked any victim that had the courage to report her brother’s abuse…perpetrated on these young girls whose only crime was wanting to be involved in the democratic process,” the lawsuit stated.
In their response, Peña-Garza and Peña III allege that Vaughan is collaborating with their political foes, who they did not identify, to file a “frivolous and defamatory” lawsuit as part of a failed attempt to disrupt their father Aaron Peña Jr.’s campaign to be a justice of the 13th Court of Appeals, Peña-Garza’s leadership as chair of the Hidalgo County GOP, “and the GOP movement in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley.”
Peña Jr. successfully unseated incumbent Leticia Hinojosa by approximately 23,000 votes. The 13th Court of Appeals serves a 20-county region that includes Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron counties.
“Vaughan — a failed political staffer and candidate within the Hidalgo County and Texas GOP — sought revenge for her own failures by attacking the Peña family for withdrawing support for her political ambitions,” the lawsuit stated.
The petition does not describe the nature of her political ambitions or what elected positions for which she sought candidacy.
Peña III and Peña-Garza allege they distanced themselves from Vaughan after she displayed “disturbing behavior” during various political events.
The lawsuit does not describe the “disturbing behavior.”
They also claim “Vaughan’s malicious scheme failed” because Peña Jr. was successfully elected.
“In addition, Adrienne’s leadership as Chair of the Hidalgo County GOP remains steadfast and the GOP movement in the Rio Grande Valley is stronger than ever and has helped bring balance to one-party rule for over a century,” the lawsuit stated.
The petition is referring to Republican Monica De La Cruz, who successfully edged out Democrat Michelle Vallejo to represent District 15.
The boundaries to this district were recently redrawn and more people in Hidalgo County voted for Vallejo.
De La Cruz is the first Republican and woman to represent the district in its 103 years of existence.
Pena III and Peña-Garza also said Vaughan’s lawsuit is full of “demonstrably false allegations and frivolous claims” and that “she should be held accountable and sanctioned.”
They are also asking for her attorney, Javier Peña, to be sanctioned.
In that motion, they claim the petition is a “malicious attempt” to harass them, as well as an attempt to derail the campaigns of several Republican candidates in the Rio Grande Valley.
The siblings also deny each and every allegation made by Vaughan while also listing a host of legal reasons her claims are barred, including “the doctrine of consent.”
Court records do not list a date for an initial court hearing in the case.
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