House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Saturday called for the House Ethics Committee to conduct a “prompt” investigation on Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., amid allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor.
“I have spoken with Congressman Cardenas and he appropriately asked us to withhold judgement until there is a full investigation of the facts,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“As Members of Congress, we each have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of the House of Representatives, and any type of alleged misconduct must be investigated by the Ethics Committee,” she added. “Congressman Cárdenas said he will fully cooperate with an Ethics investigation.”
A lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County last week, accusing Cardenas of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old girl beneath her clothes during a drive to an emergency room after he gave her an odd-tasting cup of water. The lawsuit claims the abuse occurred in 2007.
The lawsuit claims that he befriended the woman two years prior at a golf tournament in 2005. The Los Angeles Times was the first to report the lawsuit.
Cardenas’ lawyer denied the allegations earlier this week.
“My client is sickened and distraught by these horrific allegations, which are 100% categorically untrue,” Patricia Glaser, Cardenas’ attorney, said in a statement Thursday. “To reiterate, these claims against the Congressman are absolutely false and utterly inconsistent with who he is — in the workplace, in the community, and at home.”
