Fiona Ma's Sex Scandal From Five Years Ago Has Of Course Come Up In the Race for Lieutenant Governor

"The lawsuit came from former executive director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee Judith Blackwell, who shared a hotel room with Ma in Sacramento in early 2020, and later shared an Airbnb with Ma and another employee which Ma had offered to her so that she did not have to commute an hour each way to work. Blackwell's claims included that Ma had made repeated sexual advances toward her and "repeatedly exposed her bare backside" for attention while they co-habitated. She also claimed that Ma had given her gifts and once climbed into bed with her while she was trying to sleep."

"Blackwell refused her advances, she said, and later suffered a stroke. After being out on sick leave for several months, she was fired without being given a reason in January 2021. A judge would later rule that there was evidence enough to go to trial on the sexual harassment charge, but he dismissed the wrongful termination charge saying that Ma had presented ample evidence to justify Blackwell's termination for cause. Ma has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the situations d"

Fiona Ma, California’s treasurer since 2019, is running for lieutenant governor and faces criticism tied to a sexual harassment lawsuit from five years earlier that was settled in 2024. The suit was filed by Judith Blackwell, a former executive director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, who said she shared lodging with Ma in early 2020 and later alleged repeated sexual advances and exposure for attention. Blackwell also alleged Ma gave gifts and entered her bed while she tried to sleep, and she said she refused the advances. After a stroke and months of sick leave, Blackwell was fired in January 2021. A judge later ruled there was enough evidence for the sexual harassment claim to go to trial, while dismissing the wrongful termination claim due to evidence supporting termination for cause. Ma denied wrongdoing.

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