SF Politico Resumes Role As President of Latinx Democratic Club After Sexual Assault Allegations

Updated at 4:30 p.m.

A rising political leader who faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct that sparked policy changes within the San Francisco Democratic Party is returning to his post as the president of the San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club.

Kevin Ortiz was co-president of the political group before multiple women made public allegations against him last year. On Monday, the Latinx Democratic Club announced that an internal investigation “did not support the allegations” and that its former leader is reinstated.

“Mr. Ortiz categorically denies any wrongdoing and has provided evidence to the DA that demonstrates his innocence,” Tony Brass, Ortiz’s legal counsel, said in a statement. “Mr. Ortiz will continue to cooperate with the DA to clear his name and will not stand by and have his reputation ruined by false allegations.”

The internal committee tasked with investigating the complaints was comprised of club members, including board members, and three external experts on sexual harassment.

One woman who accused Ortiz of sexual assault chose not to participate in the internal investigative process out of fear of retaliation and bias from the review.

Zahra Hajee, who publicly accused Ortiz of sexual assault in a San Francisco Chronicle story, opted out after her reports were met with concerns over false accusations.

“It is upsetting, yet unsurprising, to see SFLDC’s lack of courage by reinstating the man who sexually assaulted me as their organization’s leader,” Hajee said on Monday. “While SFLDC was investigating my assault over the past several months, they used their platform not to advance protections for survivors, but instead consistently and publicly advocate for consequences for false reporting at the SFDCCC.

“This misplaced focus made clear to me that the investigation process was biased and would trivialize my own experience coming forward — which is why I declined to participate.”

In a written statement, Brass said Hajee pursued Ortiz and blasted her accusation as “baseless.”

Another woman who accused Ortiz of sexual assault in the Chronicle story, and who has remained anonymous, said she was never invited to participate in the investigation and was not aware it was underway.

“I had no way of knowing there was an investigation and no avenue through which to participate in one,” the woman, who requested to remain anonymous due to concerns over safety and political retaliation, told KQED. “This is really absurd. Of course, they believed him — he’s the only person they heard from.”

Ortiz’s announcement comes shortly after the San Francisco Democratic Party recently voted to adopt new guidelines for reporting and handling sexual misconduct cases, following multiple accusations of sexual assault and harassment within local Democratic chapters that advocates and survivors said largely went ignored until they came forward publicly.

The new policies preserve the preexisting option of reporting directly to a local chapter, which can still pursue its own investigation. The Latinx Democratic Club started its internal review process before the Democratic Party adopted the new guidelines.

But survivors who don’t feel comfortable or confident reporting directly to their local chapter can now also choose to go through the official Democratic Party. Those reports will go to an ombudsperson and an investigator. An adjudication panel would decide potential remedies and consequences, ranging from restorative justice to admonishment or expulsion from the San Francisco Democratic Party. The policy also lays out an appeals process for the accused.

Leaders of local chapters, as well as candidates seeking the party’s endorsement, will have to complete sexual harassment training and incorporate the policies into their chapters’ bylaws by May 2025.

“I am incredibly exhausted, but will continue to work towards a community that will do right by survivors in their journeys to seek healing and justice,” Hajee said.