"[3] Dababneh has strongly denied the allegation,[4] and his attorney Patricia L. Glaser, who also represents embattled film producer Harvey Weinstein, threatened to sue Lopez for defamation.

She said over the course of her tenure there that Dababneh frequently made inappropriate comments at work, including talking about his sexual habits and the attire of female staffers.

Two friends confirmed to The Los Angeles Times that Barker regularly told them about Dababneh's behavior and that she said it made her feel uncomfortable.

[8] He said he didn't feel pressure to resign because of the allegations, for which he maintains his innocence, but he said he simply no longer felt passionate about lawmaking and was ready for a change.

She called on him to donate his 2018 campaign money (reported to be over a million dollars) to a rape crisis or trauma center.

[9] According to the Los Angeles Times, "Preliminary findings by an independent investigator hired by the Assembly Rules Committee substantiated Lopez’s allegation in June {2018}.

[1][2] Dababneh took office in January 2014, after winning the November 2013 election to complete the remaining 2014 term vacated by the 2013 resignation of Bob Blumenfield to represent Los Angeles City Council District 3.