Arizona House and Senate Republicans want to repeal a state law that recognizes Cesar Chavez Day, following reports of sexual abuse involving the late labor leader and farm workers’ rights advocate.
“We are not going to keep honoring a man who committed sexual abuse against children and assaulted women. That should not be controversial,” Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro said in a statement.
“If even the governor is stepping back from recognizing Cesar Chavez this year, then the legislature needs to finish the job. Looking the other way is not leadership.”
Montenegro referred to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’s decision not to recognize Cesar Chavez Day on March 31.
“As a social worker who worked with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, Governor Hobbs takes allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against women and minors very seriously,” the statement reads.
“The Governor’s Office has decided not to recognize Cesar Chavez Day this year. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected.”
Bolick plans to review the amendment in the Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency Committee on March 25.
“This is about what our laws say and what they stand for,” Fink said in a statement.
“As long as this remains in statute, Arizona is still honoring that conduct. Repealing it is the right and responsible step, and it sends a clear message that we stand with victims.”
Allegations and Reactions
A recent news report published by The New York Times detailed allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct involving women and minors against Chavez, who died in 1993, in San Luis, Arizona, at age 66.“The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn’t feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss, and the leader of the movement I had already devoted my life to,” wrote the prominent labor activist and leader of the Chicano civil rights movement.
“The second time, I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped.”
“We wish peace and healing to the survivors and commend their courage to come forward. As a family steeped in the values of equity and justice, we honor the voices of those who feel unheard and who report sexual abuse,” the Chavez family said in an email.
On March 18, Arizona Democrats released a statement saying that they are “deeply troubled” by reports of sexual assault and misconduct targeting Chavez.
“These allegations are painful and difficult, especially for a community that has long looked to this legacy with pride. But let us be clear, there is no place, ever, for abuse or exploitation of power,” the statement reads.
“Allegations involving the abuse of young women or minors are especially serious and must be confronted with honesty and transparency. Every leader, no matter their stature, must be held accountable.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, said that these allegations demand a “clear and immediate response.”
“Protecting children and holding predators accountable is a fundamental responsibility of government. Arizona law should never be used to honor someone tied to that kind of harm,” Petersen said in a statement.
According to the proclamation, Chavez was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He employed nonviolent marches, hunger strikes, and boycotts to advance social change.
