Article snippet: California Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra resigned Monday following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, making him the first lawmaker to leave office amid a spate of reports rocking the state Capitol. The Los Angeles Democrat had previously said he wouldn't seek re-election and would leave office at the end of the next legislative session. But on Monday, Bocanegra said that he's decided to leave immediately following reflection over the Thanksgiving weekend and conversations with family, friends and supporters. Multiple women have accused him of kissing or groping them without consent. In a statement released by his office, Bocanegra said he'd hoped he could clear his name. "But clearly, the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' has been temporarily lost in a hurricane of political opportunism among the self-righteous in my case - to the detriment of both the accuser and the accused," he wrote. "While I am not guilty of any such crimes," he added, "I am admittedly not perfect." Meanwhile, the Senate Rules Committee voted Monday to remove Sen. Tony Mendoza, another Los Angeles-area Democrat, as chair of the Insurance, Banking and Financial Institutions Committee following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward young women who worked for him. He is accused of inviting one woman over to his home, offering another alcohol when she was 19, and repeatedly holding one-on-one meetings with another over dinner or drinks. His behavior with two of the w... Link to the full article to read more