Queens Assemblyman Juan Ardila is facing calls to resign after two women accused him of sexual assault. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. called the allegations against Ardila “deeply troubling” and said they require a “full and thorough investigation.”
Richards added that Ardila should resign if the accusations are proven true. The women reported that Ardila forcibly touched them while they were intoxicated at a party in 2015, with one also alleging that he kissed and exposed himself to her. The accusations were made public after Ardila was elected to the Legislature in 2022.
Ardila did not deny the allegations in a statement released Tuesday, but he apologized for his past actions and acknowledged the harm he caused.
Despite the calls for him to resign, Ardila expressed his belief in “second chances” and said he hopes to earn one with the community. However, City Councilman Robert Holden argued that Ardila was not fit to serve due to his alleged past behavior, including racism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism, reckless driving, and sexual assault. Holden defeated Ardila in the 2021 City Council primary election.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Democratic State Committee Member Danielle Brecker also called on Ardila to resign. Brecker said that the allegations were serious and disturbing, and that Ardila’s response was inadequate.
She emphasized that trust in government is impossible without accountability from all elected officials. Several prominent progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who previously supported Ardila, have yet to comment on the allegations. Other Queens politicians have also refrained from weighing in on the matter.
The calls for Ardila to resign are similar to those made against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was accused of misconduct by multiple women.
Ardila’s alleged behavior is considered reprehensible and unacceptable, and politicians are invoking the public interest as a key reason for him to resign. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has not commented on the matter as of Tuesday evening.
»Controversy Surrounds Assemblyman Juan Ardila Following Sexual Assault Accusations«
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