He's Back: Assemblyman Accused of Domestic Abuse Makes Surprise Return

A southern California assemblyman punished by Democratic leaders over accusations of domestic abuse made an unexpected and feisty return to the state capitol Friday.

In a lively exchange with reporters in his office, Roger Hernandez (D-Baldwin Park) said high blood pressure kept him away from work.

It is a stressful time for Hernandez. In July a judge granted Hernandez's ex-wife a restraining order following her accusations he abused her during their marriage. He was then removed from his Assembly committees and stripped of his labor committee chairmanship. His campaign for Congress has also floundered.

In a wide-ranging interview, Hernandez said he believes the judge was wrong to grant the restraining order and strongly denied the allegations against him.

"I want to be really clear, domestic violence, in my opinion, is the worst thing," he said. "To me it's right at par with murder, child abuse."

And Hernandez rejected claims his personal life led him to kill a bill that had come before the labor committee while he was the chair. The measure would extend parental leave to more workers in California.

Its author, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), called on Hernandez to take a leave of absence last spring while his court case was pending. Hernandez said he opposed the bill because of potential conflicts with federal law, not for political reasons. And he denied his position as chair gave him any extra influence over the legislation.

"Five out of the seven members of the labor committee didn't support it. So you tell me how Roger Hernandez makes up five people," he said. "That doesn't work. I don't control the vote of people in this Legislature."

The bill has since been revived.

Hernandez terms out of his Assembly seat this year. Though he has not technically withdrawn from his Congressional race, Hernandez says he does not have the fight in him to move forward. He says, for now, his focus will be on his health and vindicating himself of the abuse charges against him.