A prominent staffer for the conservative group Turning Point USA is at the centre of a shocking civil lawsuit, accused of sexually harassing a male subordinate and subsequently orchestrating the kidnapping of his 14-year-old daughter.
Allegations of Harassment and Coercion
The legal complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, details events from an election-night celebration in November of last year. The suit claims that Avondale City Councilwoman Jeannette Garcia, while intoxicated at a Phoenix-area restaurant, propositioned a male employee she supervised at Turning Point USA.
According to the filing, Garcia allegedly told the man, identified only as John Doe, that she could offer him a job within the youth organisation in exchange for sexual favours. The man, who had been employed to promote TPUSA-backed candidates, reported directly to Garcia and states he repeatedly rebuffed her aggressive and explicit advances.
The Night of the Alleged Kidnapping
After leaving the gathering around midnight to escape the harassment, John Doe returned home approximately 45 minutes later to find his daughter missing. After a frantic search, he encountered deputies from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office at his home.
The lawsuit presents a disturbing sequence of events, alleging that an extremely intoxicated Garcia, along with two other adults, manipulated the teenager into her car. They reportedly falsely claimed they were concerned her father had been drinking and might become violent. The filing states the girl was taken without parental permission or consent and claims deputies were complicit in her removal.
John Doe finally reached Garcia by phone around 2:20 a.m., at which point she confirmed she had his daughter. The teenager was only returned the following day after her grandmother arranged a meeting at a restaurant.
Fallout and Previous Controversy
The legal documents state the ordeal left the young girl depressed and terrified to leave her room, with her schoolwork and activities suffering significantly as a result. Notably, Garcia has not faced any criminal charges related to these allegations.
This is not the first time the councilwoman has been embroiled in controversy. Earlier this year, Avondale’s City Council formally censured Garcia after she referred to actor Tom Hanks as a pedo on social media platform X. She later claimed she intended the Spanish word for fart.
In a statement to AzFamily.com, Garcia vehemently denied all accusations, labelling them outrageous and false. She asserted she has never kidnapped or harmed anyone and suggested the situation involved her helping a young girl. Garcia indicated she is preparing to pursue legal action against those she claims are spreading intentional misinformation and damaging her reputation.
