Graciela Ortiz, a candidate for the Los Angeles school board, is currently under investigation by the school district after being removed from her position as an L.A. Unified counseling administrator. The investigation stems from a civil lawsuit that alleges Ortiz and a political ally are responsible for the actions of a campaign worker who pleaded no contest to sexual misconduct with an underage volunteer.

The lawsuit, filed on January 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, implicates Ortiz and Efren Martinez in the events surrounding the campaign worker, Billy Valdivia. Valdivia also pleaded no contest to a weapons charge, and the suit seeks unspecified damages for the victim, identified as “B.A.” Both Ortiz and Martinez have denied the allegations, with their attorney calling them “malicious and defamatory.”

Ortiz, a Huntington Park City Council member, is running for District 5 of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which includes areas like Eagle Rock, Maywood, and Bell. Her removal from her counseling job pending investigation has led a school-employees union to withdraw its endorsement for her in the upcoming election.

The suit alleges that Ortiz recruited B.A., a high school student, to work on her 2019 school board campaign and later encouraged her involvement in Martinez’s campaign in early 2021. Valdivia, who was involved in the campaign efforts, is accused of grooming B.A. into a sexual relationship.

Despite the ongoing investigation, Ortiz has received strong support from Local 99 of Service Employees International Union, which has spent over $700,000 on her campaign. The union represents thousands of school employees, including cafeteria workers, custodians, and bus drivers.

Ortiz, who previously ran for the school board in 2019, has been a school counselor for most of her career in the district, joining in 2006. The district has confirmed her removal from her position pending the outcome of the investigation but has not provided further details.

The civil lawsuit raises questions about the hiring and supervision of Valdivia by Ortiz and Martinez, alleging negligence on their part. Ortiz’s attorney has denied any connection between B.A. and the political campaigns, but a former police detective involved in the case has confirmed B.A.’s volunteer work for the campaigns.

The case highlights concerns about child safety and the responsibilities of elected officials and campaign organizers in protecting minors. As the investigation continues, the outcomes will have significant implications for Ortiz’s candidacy and the broader issue of accountability in political campaigns.