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Dozens of Democratic politicians and progressives are calling for investigations into Mickey Kasparian, the influential union leader who was accused late last year of sexually harassing one of his employees and retaliating against two others.

In a letter sent to the executive boards of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135, the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, and the state and county Democratic parties, the group said Kasparian must be suspended from his position at both labor organizationsthrough the duration of the independent investigations.

Separately, the Democratic Womans Club of San Diego wrote a letter to the county Democratic Party asking that Kasparian be suspended from his role as a delegate to the partys state Central Committee.

And Lee Burdick, former legal adviser and chief off staff to former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, likewise urged inthe labor groups and county Democrats to investigate, and to suspend Kasparian in the interim.

If you do nothing and wait for some court or other agency to act, you will do significant harm to your credibility and, consequently, your ability to act on behalf of your members and the progressive Labor movement you purport to represent, Burdick wrote in a letter sent Tuesday.

Kasparian has categorically denied allegations contained in lawsuits that sayhe pressured a subordinate into a lengthy sexual relationship and fired another after he inaccurately suspected she had double-crossed him on a political matter. The letters not only question those denials, but they show a division betweenprogressives.

After the absence of any action by the leadership of these groups to address these issues, it has now become clear that if we do not insist upon it, the complaints of these women may be dismissed and diminished in a manner that does not allow them any due process in their own workplaces, says the letter signed by 46 progressives.

The message from the Democratic Womans Club contains similar sentiments.

A statement from Local 135 said thatpeople whocomplained about Kasparian in lawsuits and interviews withnews mediawere fired for cause.

It is profoundly disappointing that individuals, by signing on to a letter, would choose to ignore the facts, or turn their backs on our members, the union said. We may be living in bizarre times, but facts still matter. Lawsuits are not truth, especially when they are filed by those who have failed to do their jobs.

In late December, Sandy Naranjo and Isabel Vasquez filed lawsuits against Kasparian and their employer, Local 135. Naranjo said she was wrongly fired after her husbands rival union took a position on a San Diego political issue that Kasparian disagreed with. Kasparian said she was fired for falsifying time cards and mileage reports.

Vasquez said she was pressured into a 15-year sexual relationship with Kasparian, her boss. Kasparian said he had no intimate contact with her.

After Kasparian was sued, another woman at Local 135, Anabel Arauz, said she was demoted after she said she would be a good character witness for Vasquez and her boyfriend made critical post about Kasparian on Facebook.Letter signers said that Kasparian needs to be suspended during any investigation because of the potential for retaliation.

Kasparian, who has led Local 135 since 2003, said he has done nothing wrong and that many of his accusers merely disgruntled.

Of the plaintiffs in the lawsuitsonly Naranjo was terminated, but in court documents she said she was not fired for cause but rather as political retaliation. On Wednesday the union that represents Naranjo and other labor organizers at Local 135dismissed agrievance she filed.

Vasquez retired in July. Kasparian said he did not have any intimate contact with her, and other employees at Local 135 said there was no indication of anything other than a friendly professional relationship between the two. Kasparian and his supporters alike all said that Vasquez ended her career on good terms and was not disgruntled when she left the union.

Some of the women who complained in interviews with the media about how Kasparian treated them were fired, but they also said it was not for cause but rather for a slight or minor disagreement with their boss.

The Democratic Party did not return requests for comment and thestate party had not seen the letters, according to a spokesperson.

Among those signing the main letter were San Diego City Councilman David Alvarez, public interest attorney Cory Briggs, former Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, four other members of city councils, elected members of school districts, clergy, and several politically-active Democrats.

The letters come after protests and requests for Kasparian to resign, including demands from former San Diego City Councilwoman Donna Frye and Irene McCormack Jackson, the former communications director for disgraced ex-San Diego Mayor Bob Filner who was the first woman to step forward and accuse him of sexual harassment.

It is our belief that the appropriate remedy is for Mr. Kasparian to resign, Frye and McCormack Jackson wrote in their Jan. 25 letter. At a minimum, we urge you to conduct an independent investigation regarding these allegations against Mr. Kasparian. We also urge you to take the actions necessary to protect the current employees, such as placing Mr. Kasparian on administrative leave until this is resolved.

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The letter signers wrote that they need to address allegations of sexual harassment in part to have a moral high ground over President Donald Trump, and the allegations against the commander-in-chief and his own admissions to actions that amount to sexual harassment.

Because of Mr. Kasparians standing in the progressive community, our ability to stand up against cultures of discrimination, bullying and harassment is compromised, unless we are able to resolutely acknowledge that we hold ourselves to the same standard that we demand from the nations President and his supporters, they wrote.

The letter with 46 signatures was organized by Sara Kent, a paralegal who said the allegations against Kasparian upset her, and reminded her of the scandal that consumedFilner. It germinated from a few conversations and social media posts between her friends, and concerns increased with time.

It really sort of became this groundswell of these people who really felt that something needs to happen rather than just let the court process run its course, she said.

Arauzs demotion was the tipping point, and it became clear that more direct action was needed, Kent said.

Hes doubling down, she said. And I think thats really whats making people react and want to act and not wait.

The letter was not widely circulated for signatures, but once it was released more people said that they wish to add their name, Kent said.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841

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Progressives, Democrats demand investigations, suspension of ... - The San Diego Union-Tribune