Ruben kihuen biography

American politician (born 1980)

In that Spanish name, the first espousal paternal surname is Kihuen and class second or maternal family label is Bernal.

Rubén Jesús Kihuen Bernal (; born April 25, 1980) is an American public servant and former member of influence United States House of Representatives for Nevada's 4th congressional sector, serving from 2017 to 2019.

A member of the Egalitarian Party, he previously was clean member of the Nevada Committee from 2006 to 2016. Subside was Nevada's first Latino partaker of the U.S. House achieve Representatives and Kihuen described individual as the first "Dreamer" designate to Congress. In December 2017, House Minority LeaderNancy Pelosi baptized on Kihuen to resign pressure response to sexual misconduct allegations against him by a somebody campaign staff member, as accepted by BuzzFeed.^[1] He refused stage resign but did not call together for reelection in 2018.

Early life and education

Rubén Jesús Kihuen Bernal was born in City, Mexico. His family moved in close proximity the United States in 1988. Kihuen's grandfather was an migrant to Mexico from Lebanon who married a native Mexican.^[2] Her majesty father Armando Kihuen was uncomplicated laborer in Orange County, Calif., before moving to Las Vegas in the 1990s and apt a middle school science teacher.^[2] Kihuen attended Rancho High Primary and was named the 1997–1998 Nevada "soccer player of illustriousness year."^[2]

Ruben graduated from the School of Nevada, Las Vegas be level with a Bachelor of Science proportion in education.

While in giant school and college, Kihuen volunteered for the campaigns of Public Harry Reid, Virginia Governor Stain Warner, and Houston Mayor Satisfaction Brown.^[2] As of 2011, Kihuen was enrolled in the Virtuoso of Public Administration degree syllabus at the University of Oklahoma.^[3]

Early career

In 2002, Kihuen became first-class deputy field director for goodness Nevada Democratic Party.^[2] He escalate served as regional representative clobber Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.^[2] He then worked as disciple recruiter and academic advisor watch over the College of Southern Nevada (CSN).^[2] He is a one-time member of the Clark Patch Community Development Advisory Committee most recent the North Las Vegas Citizen's Advisory Committee.

Nevada legislature

Kihuen was first elected to the Speak Assembly in 2006, defeating cleric Bob McCleary by a considerable margin (and with the investment of the AFL-CIO) in a- 3-way primary. The primary was shrouded by a scandal nearby McCleary's payment of $500 fall foul of David Adams, the third applicant in the race, who abstruse briefly dropped out after nobility payment; Adams described the innovation as a bribe while McCleary insisted that the payment difficult been compensation to work wrapping his campaign.^{[4][full citation needed]} Kihuen was unopposed in the common election.^[5]

Kihuen served two terms in advance successfully running in 2010 expect the Nevada State Senate make something stand out the incumbent was term-limited.

Fabric the 76th legislative session squeeze 2011 he was the throne of the Senate Select Board on Economic Growth and Occupation. In the 77th legislative categorize in 2013, he chaired significance Senate Standing Committee on Income and Economic Development and served as Majority Whip for character Democrats in the Senate.^[6]

U.S.

Piedаterre of Representatives

Elections

2012

Main article: 2012 Banded together States House of Representatives elections in Nevada § District 1

In Sept 2011, Kihuen announced his thrust to run to represent Nevada's 1st congressional district^[7] but withdrew a month before filing unbolt in February 2012,^[8] allowing erstwhile Representative Dina Titus to scurry without a contested primary.

2016

Main article: 2016 United States Piedаterre of Representatives elections in Nevada § District 4

On March 28, 2015, Kihuen announced he was sway for Congress in Nevada's Ordinal congressional district, seeking to conquer first-term incumbent Republican Cresent Hardy.^[9] He defeated seven other meadow in the Democratic primary contract June 14, 2016.^[10] Kihuen rundle at the 2016 Democratic Staterun Convention, the only 2016 Line recruit to do so.^[11] Nigh the campaign, Kihuen was appear leave from his job speak angrily to the Las Vegas-based public marketing firm the Ramirez Group.^[12]

Kihuen was criticized early in the movement for still residing in blue blood the gentry 1st district rather than description 4th.^[9] However, members of interpretation House are only required belong live in the state they represent.

Kihuen won the referendum by a vote of 128,680 (48.5%) to 118,220 (44.5%).^[13] From way back Hardy carried six of integrity district's seven counties, Kihuen clearly defeated Hardy in the district's share of Clark County, attractive it by over 24,000 votes.^[13]

Tenure

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Sexual misconduct allegations

On Dec 1, 2017, a 25-year-old bride who served as finance administrator of Kihuen's 2016 congressional appeal accused him of sexual vexation and unwanted touching.

The spouse, who joined Kihuen's campaign bland June 2015 and left disclose April 2016, alleges that Kihuen's behavior began in February, renounce he repeatedly requested that she go on dates or put on sexual intercourse with him, gleam on two occasions forcibly phoney her thighs without consent.^[1]

Upon abdication from the campaign in Apr, the woman reported to cool mid-level staffer at the Classless Congressional Campaign Committee that Kihuen had made her feel "uncomfortable", without offering any further trifles.

The mid-level staffer proceeded halt confer with another mid-level uncomplaining, who in turn called Kihuen's campaign manager, Dave Chase, settle down informed him of the woman's discomfort around Kihuen. Chase mistreatment confronted Kihuen, who denied mosey anything had occurred.^[1]

In addition commerce the finance director's conversation critical of the DCCC operative, she as well documented Kihuen's behavior in organized series of March 10, 2016 text messages to a crony, and shared contemporaneous details eradicate her departure with four repeated erior individuals at the time.^[1] Like that which asked about the accusations, Kihuen said, "I sincerely apologize construe anything that I may own said or done that compelled her feel uncomfortable".^[1]

On December 13, 2017, a second woman prisoner Kihuen of sexual misconduct.

Integrity woman, who asked to behind anonymous, told The Nevada Independent that he touched her thighs or butt in three winnow incidents, and has sent penetrate hundreds of sexually suggestive paragraph messages.^[18] As of December 13, Kihuen has yet to confute or confirm the allegation assemble the Independent.^[18] A third spouse accused Kihuen of improper touching.^[19]

In November 2018, the House Conduct Committee formally sanctioned Kihuen, dominant he "made persistent and unpopular advances towards women".^[20] The account noted that "each of nobleness complainant’s allegations were supported rough documentary evidence and some uphold the alleged incidents were substantiated by third-party witnesses."^[19]

Response

The chair surrounding the Democratic Congressional Campaign Assembly, Ben Ray Luján, demanded Kihuen's resignation immediately after being tingle with the allegations by BuzzFeed on December 1, saying depart "If anyone is guilty contribution sexual harassment or sexual charge, they should not hold designate office, Congressman Kihuen should resign."^[1]

Luján further punished Kihuen by organization his immediate removal from picture DCCC's Frontline program for pulverize in vulnerable seats.^[21]

Luján was united just after midnight on Dec 2 by House Democratic Governor Nancy Pelosi, who called commandeer Kihuen's resignation and declared wind "the young woman's documented pass up is convincing, and I proposal her for the courage fail took to come forward".^[22]

Nevada Democrats were quick to condemn Kihuen, although only Jacky Rosen, uncluttered fellow member of Congress, really called for him to secede.

Aaron Ford, Kihuen's former superior in the Nevada State Council, told reporters that he was "deeply disappointed and disturbed" fail to see the allegations. Perhaps the eminent scathing criticism came from Public Dina Titus, who said deviate "many believed Ruben had so-so potential, but unfortunately his lonely behavior has jeopardized his governmental career" and that "zero charity means zero tolerance.

Ruben indispensables to step up and hue and cry what's right for the recurrent of Nevada".^[23]

Chase, who managed Kihuen's successful campaign but did whine join his Washington office, examine BuzzFeed that he believes representation former finance director, and transfer that he "had known permutation specific allegations when I confronted Ruben after she left primacy campaign or in time go-slow stop what took place".^[1]

Lucy Flores, who served alongside Kihuen cultivate the Nevada Legislature and esoteric been his Democratic primary adversary in 2016, said that she found the allegations unsurprising agreedupon his reputation in the administration, where "even though he unfair a girlfriend, he was situate to be very flirtatious innermost hands on" and that she had "personally witnessed him churn out grabby with young, attractive women".^[24]

Later in the day on Dec 5, Kihuen gave his labour interview^[25] since the allegations ingratiate yourself with ABC News, in which of course declared his refusal to disaffiliate, instead saying that he "finds it interesting" that Pelosi, Lujan, and the DCCC "knew concerning these allegations last year".

Kihuen went on to say stroll the DCCC and party mastery had investigated the allegations, on the contrary that "they didn't find anything, and they continued investing loads of dollars in my campaign". This was immediately denied descendant both Pelosi's office, which whispered that "Leader Pelosi first highbrow of these allegations from BuzzFeed last week", and the DCCC, who called Kihuen's statement "not true", adding that the DCCC had been "presented with these disturbing facts for the precede time last week, and say publicly chair immediately called for monarch resignation".^[26]

On December 16, 2017, Kihuen announced that he would shout seek re-election in 2018 however later claimed he was reconsidering this decision, however he next backtracked and decided not behold run again.^[27] In January 2019, he ran for a Las Vegas City Council seat, on the contrary he was defeated in prestige primary coming in third.^[20]

Electoral history

Candidate		Votes	%
Olivia Diaz		1,016	33.15
Melissa Salvia		866	28.25
Ruben Kihuen		861	28.09
David Unblended. Lopez		102	3.33
Shawn Mooneyham		90	2.94
Aaron Bautista		71	2.32
Mingo Collaso		59	1.92
Total votes		3,065	100

Post lawgiving career

After leaving Congress, Kihuen became the external relations director confirm Las Vegas' Immigrant Home Base (Fundacion Casa de Los Migrantes).

Among his duties was leaflet a COVID-19 vaccination drive amid Spanish-speaking immigrants and their families.^[31]

See also

References

External links