Arizona congressional candidate reports rape while repairing campaign signs

An Arizona congressional candidate says two men sexually assaulted her while she was repairing campaign signs at night in the Phoenix area, and she believes the attack may have been politically motivated. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation is ongoing.

Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a 52-year-old Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, told investigators she was returning to her car around 2 a.m. on Aug. 14 in Sun City when someone struck her in the back of the head, according to an incident report obtained by NBC News. She said she regained consciousness on the ground as one man sexually assaulted her, then fought back when a second man climbed on top of her.

Greene-Placentia told NBC News she remembered little about the moments before the blow and could not recall the men’s faces or appearances. “All I can remember is their feet, their pant leg,” she said. “It’s frustrating.”

She told police she believed the men recognized her as a political figure. The incident report says she recalled one of them saying “democratic b—-,” though it does not specify when. Greene-Placentia told NBC News she heard “ick b—-” and mentally filled in the beginning of the phrase as “democratic b—-.” She said the second man told the first, “You’re right, she’s not worth it,” before they left, according to the report.

Greene-Placentia reported the alleged assault on Aug. 31, more than two weeks after she said it happened. She told NBC News she initially kept it to herself because she was embarrassed that she had been unable to defend herself. Her campaign manager told NBC News that campaign workers often put up and repair signs overnight to avoid heat and traffic.

Accounts differ on when she first told people close to her. The incident report says she told her husband and communications coordinator two to three days afterward. CBS News reported that she told the Phoenix New Times she informed her husband and campaign the next day.

According to the incident report, Greene-Placentia did not seek medical treatment or undergo a sexual assault forensic examination. She told police she showered three times and took a bath after returning home. She said she had a lump on her head and bruises on her back and arms but had not photographed them. Greene-Placentia told NBC News the bruises remained visible when she spoke to investigators, who did not photograph them.

Her campaign said she came forward because she knows many survivors struggle in silence and hopes others will know they are not alone. Hamadeh called for authorities to investigate thoroughly, including seeking camera footage, and to prosecute the crime. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs condemned the alleged attack, saying, “No one should have to fear for their safety, or the safety of the people they love, while serving their community.”