Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Albuquerque) has filed a discrimination lawsuit against a member of the Democratic party after New Mexico Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart allegedly allowed discrimination in the workplace.
His suit stems from the continued employment of Rachel Gudgel, who has been accused of making racist comments towards Native Americans and homosexual slurs, KRQE reported. Candelaria said that though it is not Stewart who made the remarks, she continues to employ a person that does, which shows the need for a change in leadership.
“Just demonstrates that she’s no longer morally or ethically fit to continue leading the senate in a state that is majority-minority,” Candelaria told KRQE. “I’ve always judged people for their actions, and I think, for me, the verdict is in.”
New Mexico state Sen. Jacob Candelaria, an openly gay Hispanic man, is a civil rights attorney.
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Candelaria said he has made multiple attempts to settle things outside of court with Stewart but has been unsuccessful, and therefore is opting not to pursue mediation through attorneys.
"Over the last several months, myself and several community leaders including the All Pueblo Council of Governors have been very clear, I think, that the continued employment of the top-ranking education policy advisor to the legislature is no longer acceptable,” Candelaria told KRQE. “How much evidence is necessary before a government agency head will accept that discrimination against indigenous folks and against queer folks is just unacceptable."
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Stewart has changed Candelaria's seating assignment and office location since he complained.
Candelaria, an openly gay Hispanic man, is a civil rights attorney.
“As the first openly gay man in the senate and in the legislature in history, I feel I also have a special responsibility to file this charge and say that we are no longer going to turn a blind eye to this [expletive],” Candelaria told the Santa Fe New Mexican. “If you don’t want to say [expletive], I will say, ‘Turn a blind eye to egregious acts of discrimination in the workplace.'"
The Sante Fe New Mexican reports that Stewart has not made a statement on the incident.
