Alleged Bare-Butt Bed-Sharing Dem Treasurer Surges In California Lt Gov Poll

California Democratic State Treasurer Fiona Ma, who has faced sexual harassment allegations, is surging in early polls for the 2026 lieutenant governor election.

Ma has served as state treasurer since 2019 and announced her campaign for lieutenant governor in early June 2023. A recent poll by Tulchin Research shows the Democratic state treasurer in second place overall, with 18% support among the state’s likely voters in the June primary.

The survey shows Republican candidate Brian Dahle leading with 20% support, while 34% of respondents remain undecided. Among Democratic voters, however, Ma holds first place with 28% support, while 42% of Democrats surveyed are still undecided. (RELATED: Los Angeles’ Far-Left Shift Becomes More Likely After Socialist Enters Mayoral Race)

Ma’s long tenure resulted in allegations of sexual assault, racial discrimination and wrongful termination being made against her.

Former Democratic state treasurer staffer Judith Blackwell worked under Ma as executive director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee starting in September 2019. Blackwell was fired in January 2021 and replaced.

Later that year, Blackwell filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court about six months after his termination. In 2023, a Sacramento County judge dismissed Blackwell’s claims of wrongful termination and racial discrimination, according to the Los Angeles Times.

However, the judge allowed Blackwell’s sexual harassment allegations to continue, the outlet reported.

Court records detail claims that Ma made unwanted sexual advances toward Blackwell. Blackwell alleged that at one point in 2020, while sharing a room during a work trip, Ma “exposed her bare rear,” according to Courthouse News Service.

During an alleged incident in May 2020, Blackwell claimed Ma rented an Airbnb instead of a hotel room, where she began exposing herself before climbing into Blackwell’s bed, Courthouse News Service reported.

Blackwell also alleged that Ma bought him gifts, including edible marijuana.

In September 2020, Blackwell said she suffered a stroke and took eight weeks off work. When she returned, she claimed Ma gave her tasks that required two people. Despite his injury, Blackwell was fired shortly afterward, the outlet reported.

Ma has always maintained his innocence, describing Blackwell’s claims as “mundane events” that happen when people share a living space, according to Courthouse News Service. Ma also said Blackwell was fired for poor job performance, noting that the sexual allegations did not arise until after she was fired.

California Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown (center) and California Congresswoman Fiona Ma look on. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

“Blackwell’s own testimony establishes that the events were few in number, short in duration, that no offensive words were uttered and that none involved physical contact,” Ma said in 2023, according to the Courthouse News Service.

While a trial had been set regarding the sexual allegations in September 2024, the suit had been dropped by Blackwell just a month before. In addition, however, the State entered into a settlement agreement with the former employee.

Blackwell received $350,000 in taxpayer funds, clearing Ma’s office of any wrongdoing and including no admission of liability from Ma or the state.

In a statement released after the settlement reports, Ma called the suit “frivolous,” adding that it was filed by a “disgruntled employee,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

“From day one, I said this was a frivolous lawsuit brought by a disgruntled employee who fabricated allegations in an attempt to embarrass me in hopes of receiving millions of dollars in settlements,” Ma said at the time. “After three years of delay, I have been completely vindicated and can continue my work on affordable housing, climate action and job creation without distraction. »

While Ma presented the settlement as a victory, Blackwell’s attorney, Waukeen McCoy, objected to the state treasurer.

“I can’t understand how she thinks she was vindicated — my client was vindicated,” McCoy said, the Los Angeles Times reported. “It seems Ms. Ma doesn’t feel like she did anything wrong. She doesn’t take responsibility for her actions, which is regrettable.”

Before becoming state treasurer, Ma served in the California Assembly, including authoring legislation strengthening protections for victims of domestic violence, the outlet reported.

In January, reports broke that Ma had filed for divorce from Jason Hodge, a former firefighter, after 15 years of marriage. Ma described the separation as amicable, according to the San Francisco Standard.

“After 15 years, we separated but remain good friends,” Ma told the outlet.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news service, is available free to any legitimate news publisher capable of delivering a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and DCNF affiliation. For questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact licenses@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.