Judge denies Hidalgo County GOP chair’s motion to dismiss in sexual harassment case

An effort by Hidalgo County GOP Chair Adrienne Peña-Garza to remove herself from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against her brother failed after a state district judge denied a motion to dismiss the allegations against her.

On Thursday, state District Judge Mario E. Ramirez Jr. ruled against her motion to dismiss after hearing arguments from both sides during a hearing on Feb. 21.

The attorney representing Peña-Garza, Jason Davis, argued during the hearing that the claims against her should be dropped under the Texas Citizens Participation Act.

The TCPA is meant to protect people’s right to petition, speak freely and associate freely by allowing them the opportunity to have a lawsuit dismissed if the lawsuit infringes on those rights.

Davis argued this lawsuit did just that.

He alleged that Peña-Garza was only being sued because of her association with her brother and because of her position as the chair of the Hidalgo County GOP.

However, the attorney representing the young woman who filed the sexual assault claim, Javier Peña, said the TCPA didn’t apply in this case because it involved alleged bodily injury.

He added they were not suing Peña-Garza for association but for allegedly protecting her brother when the allegations of assault occurred.

“She did nothing to protect those little girls,” Javier Peña said during the hearing. “In fact, she continued to order him to go to these organizations despite knowing that he was abusing little girls.”

The allegations laid out in the lawsuit stem from an alleged incident in which Aron Peña III allegedly assaulted Cadence Vaughan, a recent high school graduate involved in the Hidalgo County Teenage Republicans.

She alleges Peña III touched her thigh and forcefully kissed her when driving her and a friend home from a political function in July.


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