From Cesar Chavez to We Said Enough

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: The spectacular downfall last week of Labor icon Cesar Chavez was unprecedented. The New York Times’ bombshell report on allegations of sexual abuse of young girls by Chavez, coupled with UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta’s disturbing story of rape at his hands toppled the legacy of one of the most significant figures in California history.

If Chavez’ exposure was a surprise, the details of the stories were all too familiar. The revelations come as America is roiled in controversy over Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes against women and girls, and nine years after the We Said Enough moment exposed rife sexual harassment – and worse – in the Capitol Community. Our guest, POLITICO’s Melanie Mason, reported extensively on We Said Enough as that story broke, and joined us to reflect on the Chavez allegations, abuse of power and the difficulties survivors face in coming forward.

2:00 What’s new at Capitol Weekly

3:54 Experts Expound: Top Two

5:22 Clergy sex abuse

6:47 The Roundup

8:31 LA Material

10:01 Melanie Mason

12:40 The journalism

14:59 Dolores Huerta

17:30 “The movement is bigger than the man”

18:36 Cult of personality

20:17 Why does this matter?

21:47 If Dolores Huerta couldn’t come forward, who can?

25:10 The impacts of speaking out

26:48 The internet

28:48 Has the situation gotten better at the Capitol since We Said Enough?

31:02 Dems in dissarray

33:48 The larger issue

40:28 “Social progress isn’t linear”

44:13 #WWCA