In May 2017, plaintiff Spencer Dayton, a party activist and volunteer, was allegedly groped by Eric Bauman following Bauman’s election to Chair of the California Democratic Party that month. Dayton also claimed that Bauman groped him at least one other time in November 2017. During that time, in June 2017, plaintiff Tina McKinnor, a black woman, was hired as the Operations Director for the California Democratic Party and plaintiff John Vigna was hired as the Communications Director. McKinnor claimed that she was harassed and discriminated against because of her race since the time of her hire, while Vigna claimed he was groped and harassed by Bauman on a nearly a daily basis since the time he was hired. McKinnor also claimed that she was demoted in July 2017 because she was "too urban" to run staff meetings or work with major donors and that Bauman assigned a white male to run the meetings instead. She further claimed that Bauman told her she was "too emotional." Ultimately, the California Democratic Party terminated McKinnor and Vigna in December 2018, a few weeks after Bauman resigned on Nov. 25, 2018. McKinnor and Vigna claimed their termination was in retaliation for helping another employee file a sexual assault complaint against Bauman. McKinnor, Vigna and Dayton sued Bauman; the California Democratic Party; and the governing body of the California Democratic Party, The Democratic State Central Committee. McKinnor, Vigna and Dayton alleged that the California Democratic Party and The Democratic State Central Committee were negligent in the hiring, supervision and retention of Bauman. Vigna and Dayton also alleged that Bauman’s actions constituted sexual battery, and McKinnor alleged that Bauman’s actions toward her constituted racial and gender discrimination. In addition, McKinnor and Vigna alleged that the defendants’ actions created a hostile work environment and that the actions of the California Democratic Party and The Democratic State Central Committee constituted whistleblower retaliation and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Bauman denied all claims against him and was ultimately dismissed from the case. Plaintiffs’ counsel contended that the party leadership condoned Bauman’s conduct and retaliated against those who filed claims against Bauman., McKinnor, Vigna and Dayton each claimed that they suffered emotional distress as a result of the incidents. They sought recovery of damages for their respective emotional pain and suffering.