Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Carson Mayor Accused Of Trying To Sexually Assault Woman In DC Hotel Room

albert-robles.jpg
Albert Robles (Facebook)

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

A woman has accused the mayor of Carson of trying to sexually assault her in a Washington DC hotel room at a conference. She says he later subjected her to sexual harassment and bullying while the pair worked together on a local water board.Lynn Dymally, the daughter of the late politician Mervyn M. Dymally, has come forward with her story and a lawsuit against Carson mayor Albert Robles. Robles and Dymally go back more than 20 years—Robles was an aide to Mervyn Dymally while he served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Dymally told Los Cerritos Community News:

"It saddens me even more that a man who once worked for and with me and had the privilege of being mentored by my father, the Hon. Mervyn M. Dymally, a great defender of women’s rights, would have such a lack of respect for women. My dad would be heart broken by Albert’s transgressions and encourage me to stand-up for women and myself." "Albert Robles has become a despicable person and public servant who lacks the basic principles of integrity and respect for others. Mayor Robles must be held accountable for his egregious behavior against me and any other woman he has violated. He owes, not only me, but also, his mother, sister, wife, and daughter a public apology along with sincere atonement. Albert Robles is a detriment to the public’s best interest, a menace to society, and a disgrace to his family, friends, supporters, colleagues, constituents, WRD, and the city of Carson.”

Dymally and Robles served together on the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, which manages groundwater for 4.5 million residents in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles Times. In November 2013 the pair attended a conference in DC together. Dymally in her complaint says Robles shoved her into a hotel room, tried to rip her clothes off and attempted to rape her before he passed out. She managed to escape but she says he later tried to touch her again later but she rebuffed his advances. The suit says that Robles subjected her to bullying and sexual harassment after they got back from the conference.

Robles says he has not been served with a suit and denied the allegations to the Times, "I absolutely never forced myself on her, never forced myself into her room and I never ripped off her clothes — not her or any other woman. All these allegations are false."

Robles says he believes that Dymally has a vendetta against him. Dymally was appointed to the water board in September 2013, and she served a year before being defeated by John D. S. Allen in a November 2014 election. Robles voted against her appointment to the board and later supported her rival in the election. He says he believes that Dymally is filing the suit now to win political points now that he's mayor and Carson is looking at building an NFL stadium.

He told the Times: "Why did she wait so long? I think because she sees me as mayor of Carson, a much more high-profile position, and with all the football, she thought this was the perfect time."

The Times reports that no police report has been filed in DC. Los Cerritos News has a copy of the complaint here.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today