NEW: Mayra Flores’s District Director Accused of Sexual Harassment by Staffers

Mayra Flores’s district director is accused of sexual harassment toward several teenage campaign staffers, according to new reporting.

Aron Peña, who is 42 years old, reportedly is accused of “unwanted touching, inappropriate sexual comments, and forcing himself on [teenage] staffers.” According to reporting by Current Revolt, there were “an excessive amount of incidents involving Pena; so much so that female staffers often warn new females brought on the campaign of Pena’s behavior towards women.”

Peña is also accused of exploiting his position to set up “after hours” meetings with young staffers:

“Staffers have told us that Pena often uses his position within the party to offer ‘interviews’ and discuss ‘job opportunities’ in order to set up after hours meetings with the young staffers.

“Others are claiming Pena would sometimes ask them to text photos of themselves before he went to bed for the night.” 

Mayra Flores’s office has not responded to Current Revolt’s request for comment.

Current Revolt: BREAKING: Aron Peña Accused of Sexual Harassment by Staffers
September 8, 2022

• “Sources in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) reached out to us stating that several teenage campaign staffers have accused Aron Pena of sexual harassment.”

• “We are told that Aron Pena is accused of multiple instances of harassment of teenage staffers. These include unwanted touching, inappropriate sexual comments, and forcing himself on staffers.”

• “One staffer told us that Pena once kissed her on the lips and she had to push him away.”

• “Several staffers also allege multiple cases of what they refer to as ‘abuse of power’ where he justified his actions by claiming it happened ‘after 5pm outside of work hours.’”

• “Staffers have told us that Pena often uses his position within the party to offer ‘interviews’ and discuss ‘job opportunities’ in order to set up after hours meetings with the young staffers.”

• “Others are claiming Pena would sometimes ask them to text photos of themselves before he went to bed for the night.”

• “We are told that the situation involving Pena escalated when he repeatedly demanded he be included in the newly reformed Rio Grande Valley College Republican group. Students are telling us that even after being told his involvement with the college Republican group was not wanted or needed, Pena continued to harass students involved in the group to allow him to attend meetings and events.”

• “We’re told that the 42-year-old Pena has been in a committed relationship for several years. Citizens we spoke to in RGV said that while Pena claims his girlfriend is in her twenties, she’s actually 19, and that he gets her into bars with a fake ID.”

• “Staffers we spoke to said there have been an excessive amount of incidents involving Pena; so much so that female staffers often warn new females brought on the campaign of Pena’s behavior towards women.”

• “When asked about the harassment allegations, Pena said he was not allowed to talk to media but said he denied all allegations. He then hung up on us.”

• “When we spoke to the teenage staffers to ask why they hadn’t reported these issues with Pena sooner, they claimed that they were concerned for their jobs within the GOP and feared retaliation as the Pena family was very powerful and connected within the RGV GOP.”

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