This week, the Valencia County News-Bulletin published a letter to the editor submitted by Summer Ludwig, who serves as Chair of the Democratic Party of Valencia County.

For transparency, the letter was submitted by Chair Ludwig in her personal capacity as a private citizen, not on behalf of DPVC. Chair Ludwig is also an employee of the City of Belen and has personal knowledge of the broader concerns surrounding this situation.

We encourage our members to read her letter, as well as the News-Bulletin article that includes the redacted investigative report. After reviewing the information, we ask you to consider contacting the Belen Mayor and City Council to urge them to take appropriate action. Their contact information can be found here: City Council | Belen, NM

In addition, the DPVC Executive Committee has sent a formal letter to the Mayor and Council calling on them to censure Councilor Espinoza and adopt clear, enforceable workplace protections that apply to elected officials as well as City staff.

No employee should be subjected to harassment, intimidation, or a hostile work environment, and elected officials must be held to standards of conduct that protect the people who serve our communities.