STOP IVEY-SOTO: New Website - StopIveySoto.com - Issues Three Demands on Senate Leadership

Daniel Ivey-Soto Has Been Credibly Accused by Multiple Women of Sexual Harassment, Bullying, and Abuse … He Now Claims The Investigation Into His Behavior is Over Despite No Public Release

GROUPS: "We do not accept the premise that this sham process was legitimate or the final arbiter of accountability… We will not back down."

A growing coalition of New Mexicans is demanding accountability for State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto, who has been credibly accused by mutliple women of a long history of sexual harassment, bullying, and abuse. 

This morning, Ivey-Soto announced in an op-ed published in The Albuquerque Journal that the Interim Legislative Ethics Committee investigation into his behavior has been closed. In response, the coalition of groups working to hold him accountable announced the launch of a new website, www.StopIveySoto.com. 

"The women who have come forward to publicly share their stories of abuse at the hands of a powerful legislator have been nothing short of courageous. They deserve better from the legislature. We do not accept the premise that this sham process was legitimate or the final arbiter of accountability," said Oriana Sandoval, who is the CEO of the Center for Civic Policy (CCP). "We will not back down until there is transparency and real reform -- and until Ivey-Soto is properly held accountable for his actions."

The coalition previously launched Facebook ads highlighting the allegations and calling on leadership to strip Ivey-Soto of his interim committee assignments. In July, over two dozen leaders affiliated with public interest groups throughout New Mexico signed a letter requesting leadership strip Ivey-Soto of his interim committee assignments and to "swiftly" release the full investigative report into Ivey-Soto's behavior. 

Now, the website makes clear that leadership in the New Mexico State Senate must take the following three steps: 

• Strip Ivey-Soto's committee assignments and leadership roles. 

• Release the investigative report into Ivey-Soto's behavior immediately. 

• Take steps to eradicate bullying and sexual harassment within the legislature – including updating the State Ethics Commission's oversight to include harassment and bullying.

"Allowing someone with a history of abusive and bullying behavior alleged in multiple complaints to continue to hold a position of power eviscerates the public's trust in our lawmakers and the Legislature as a whole," said Heather Ferguson, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico "His behavior has been the worst kept secret in the Legislature for far too long, and we cannot continue to allow Sen. Ivey-Soto to escape accountability for his harmful behavior."

"Someone who is under investigation for harassment and abusive behavior should not be in a position of power, and elected officials who chair committees hold an extraordinary amount of power," said Andrea Serrano, the executive director of OLÉ.

"It is unacceptable that nothing has been done yet to hold Senator Ivey-Soto accountable for his abuse of power," said Carmen López, who has previously detailed Ivey-Soto's bullying behavior toward her. "It is inappropriate that business is proceeding as usual at the Roundhouse."