Former Española city employee accuses mayor of sexual harassment in new lawsuit

Oct. 18 – Española Mayor John Ramon Vigil continues to make accusations of bad behavior.

The young politician, already accused of “unethical and inappropriate conduct” in an ongoing whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former city manager, is facing a new complaint from a former employee accusing him of sexual harassment and promoting a hostile work environment.

Laura Rendon — who provided administrative support to Vigil and then-City Manager Jordan Yutzy between March and June 2023 — filed a lawsuit against Vigil in district court this week, claiming his conduct prompted her “constructive dismissal,” or decision to leave, and has violated her right to be free from discrimination on grounds of sex.

Rendon is seeking an unspecified amount of damages to compensate for the emotional distress, pain and suffering she says she suffered as a result of Vigil’s “extensive and blatant sexual harassment.”

Vigil, 28, declined to comment on the lawsuit Friday, citing the city attorney’s opinion.

Rendon’s lawsuit alleges that Vigil told other city employees that she was “good in bed” and that he would “find out for himself.”

He also warned male employees not to be alone with Rendon because she would accuse them of sexual harassment, the complaint said.

It accuses Vigil of disclosing the confidential terms of a sexual harassment settlement agreement between Rendon and another former employer, “contrary to said agreement.”

Rendon previously worked at Jemez Mountains Electrical Cooperative, where Vigil serves as trustee.

His behavior there has also led to criticism. The co-op’s board convicted Vigil in July in connection with a community member’s complaint that he yelled at her during a meeting last year.

In Rendon’s resignation letter dated June 29, 2023, she mentions a “toxic work environment” in the city, but attributes it not to the mayor, but to another former city employee who she says yelled at her and invaded her personal space at work .

“Mayor Vigil said he would take care of it three times, and nothing has been done,” Rendon wrote in the letter.

Her attorney, former Sen. Jacob Candelaria, said in an interview Friday that there are “mixed motives” in Rendon’s case, “as in many of the cases we handle.”

“There are a lot of issues that often lead to a work environment becoming intolerable,” he said.

“My client wrote the letter in question after a very unprofessional and contentious interaction with the city manager, an interaction in which the mayor was also involved,” Candelaria said. “In our view, this certainly does not mean that his behavior and his conduct … was not also a driving and significant motivating factor in her decision.”

He added: “We are confident that a jury will recognize that while there may have been mixed reasons why my client was forced to involuntarily leave her position, the mayor’s blatant and widespread sexual harassment was certainly one of those significant motivations.” and that he should. held responsible for his part.”

Candelaria, who also represents Yutzy, told The New Mexican that he plans to file another whistleblower lawsuit against Vigil in the coming weeks on behalf of another city employee who tried unsuccessfully to get a restraining order against Vigil last year.

Danielle Bustos had alleged that the mayor targeted her for sexual harassment and bullying. She alleged in a petition seeking a restraining order that the mayor knew her father from the electric cooperative, and “he constantly calls my father to ‘tell about me’ because of that relationship.”

State District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer denied Bustos’ request for a restraining order, finding that Bustos “has adequate due process of law.”

“Do I have anything personal against the mayor? Absolutely not,” Candelaria said. “Do I have a big problem with bullies who abuse the authority entrusted to them by voters… and use their power to make other people’s lives hell? Oh, absolutely, I have a problem with that.

“And I believe that the good people of Rio Arriba County who will serve on any of the juries that may or may not be involved in these cases will come to the same conclusion,” he said.