Dem Congress hopeful facing questions amid misconduct case

Democratic congressional candidate Deb Haaland is disputing a Las Cruces woman’s claim that she ignored a misconduct case while she was chair the Democratic Party of New Mexico.

Haaland said in a statement Thursday that as chair the party received “no official complaints” about misconduct but still adopted a statewide sexual harassment policy for the state Democratic Party.

Nicole Bagg said at a press conference in Albuquerque that Haaland and New Mexico Democratic officials dismissed her complaints about former Dona Ana County Commissioner John Vasquez.

Bagg told reporters Thursday that Vasquez made racists and derogatory remarks about women during a drunken October 2016 encounter.

Vasquez resigned from the commission earlier this year after sexual misconduct complaints.

Haaland says she is a survivor of misconduct and applauded Bagg for speaking out.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)