A former Salt Lake City councilwoman accused of aggressive sexual advances against four women is demanding an investigation into the allegations. Democratic congressional candidate Eva Lopez Chavez broke her silence after scandal engulfed the city council earlier this month, insisting she wants the accusations fully investigated after city leaders abruptly backed away from launching an independent probe.
Lopez Chavez was accused of predatory behavior by four women who claimed she used force to try and restrain them during alleged encounters. She denied their accusations.
'Allegations should be addressed through fair, transparent, and credible processes — not politics, rumors, or selective leaks,' Lopez Chavez said in a statement sent to The Salt Lake Tribune. 'I welcomed an independent investigation because there is no wrongdoing and was prepared to have the facts examined openly and fairly. More importantly, the public deserves the utmost transparency with matters of all their elected leaders.'
The dramatic public defense came just days after Lopez Chavez was stripped of her District 4 council seat following a separate residency investigation that concluded she had failed to maintain a primary residence inside the district she represented. The once-promising Democrat now finds herself at the center of twin political crises — one involving allegations of predatory sexual behavior and another surrounding accusations she no longer legally lives in the district she served.
Allegations of Misconduct
The misconduct allegations first exploded into public view in April when four women involved in Utah political circles accused Lopez Chavez of inappropriate and forceful conduct during separate encounters that allegedly took place before she joined the city council in 2023. Among the accusers was fellow Salt Lake City council member Victoria Petro, who alleged Lopez Chavez cornered her during a wedding reception and pinned her against a pillar. Petro told The Tribune that Lopez Chavez allegedly said: 'The only reason I still f*** men is because a woman hasn't shown me what I really want.'
'If a man had done that to me, would there be a question if it was assault or not?' Petro added.
Utah state senator Jen Plumb also accused Lopez Chavez of making an unwanted sexual advance during a birthday gathering in 2022. 'It absolutely was a sexual advance,' Plumb told the newspaper. 'She leaned into me, grabbed onto my ass, got up in my face and said in my ear, You're sure you're straight?'
Former political aide Maggie Regier, who uses they/them pronouns, alleged Lopez Chavez grabbed them by the wrist during a Human Rights Campaign fundraiser before allegedly pinning them against a wall in a hallway until someone intervened. Regier later told the Daily Mail: 'Regardless of individual details of mine or anyone else's experience, there is an established pattern of behavior that is not appropriate for elected officials. Eva made unwanted sexual advances on multiple occurrences towards multiple women, and I hope she finds the courage to take accountability for her actions.'
Utah state representative Hoang Nguyen alleged Lopez Chavez climbed on top of her inside a car following a campaign event and refused to move until she kissed her. 'I said, What are you doing?' Nguyen told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'And she said, Kiss me. I'm not going to get off you until you kiss me.'
Lopez Chavez has strongly denied all allegations through attorney Greg Skordas, who said she was 'shocked' by the accusations. He also claimed the former councilwoman possessed communications with all four accusers that were 'entirely inconsistent with these untrue allegations.'
Residency Scandal
While the misconduct controversy was already threatening to derail her political future, a second scandal exploded. Earlier this month, Salt Lake City Recorder Keith Reynolds concluded Lopez Chavez had failed to maintain residency inside District 4 since at least December 2025, automatically vacating her seat under Utah law. The investigation was triggered after a local resident filed a complaint questioning whether Lopez Chavez still lived in the district she represented.
Under the terms of a mortgage agreement tied to a home she purchased in District 5 in September 2025, Lopez Chavez was reportedly required to occupy the property as her primary residence within 60 days. According to city officials, Lopez Chavez later acknowledged splitting time between multiple locations, including her parents' home, friends' residences and her campaign manager's home. In a letter announcing the decision, Reynolds wrote: 'By admission through your counsel, you failed to maintain a principal place of residence within District 4 since at least December 6, 2025.'
The ruling immediately removed Lopez Chavez from office and triggered a scramble to appoint a replacement. On Tuesday night, the Salt Lake City Council later voted unanimously to abandon plans for an outside investigation into the misconduct allegations — a move Lopez Chavez sharply criticized in her statement. 'Investigating and concluding such serious assertions is necessary to keep the integrity of City Hall,' she said. Council chair Alejandro Puy defended the decision, saying the council no longer had jurisdiction to investigate Lopez Chavez because she is now a private citizen rather than an elected official.
Lopez Chavez Fights Back
Despite the scandals surrounding her, Lopez Chavez signaled she has no intention of quietly disappearing from public life. In her statement on Thursday, she accused City Hall of operating amid 'a history of inconsistencies, abuse, and political agendas' and vowed to challenge the residency findings. 'I will continue to strongly dispute this interpretation and will pursue all available remedies to protect our city,' she said.
She also argued that voters, not political insiders, should decide who represents District 4. 'Voters should elect their representatives, not allow for political appointments to happen at their expense,' Lopez Chavez declared. She insisted she remains proud of her public service record. 'I remain deeply grateful to the community members who stood by me during an incredibly difficult and politicized period. I will continue to serve this community with determination, humility, and purpose.'
The Daily Mail has contacted Lopez Chavez and SLC Council for comment.
