PHOENIX – Rep. Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) is offering a $10,000 reward to find the two suspects involved in the alleged rape of his opponent, Democratic nominee Bernadette Greene-Placentia.
Greene-Placentia alleges that she was assaulted and raped by two men while fixing campaign signs at 2 a.m. in mid-August, somewhere near the area of 99th Avenue and Bell Road in Sun City. Greene-Placentia didn’t report the assault to police for more than two weeks. Then, Greene-Placentia waited until earlier this month — nearly two months after the alleged assault — to go public with her story through an exclusive report with a media outlet.
Since then, Greene-Placentia has engaged in numerous interviews about the alleged rape, and her campaign has been using the incident to solicit campaign donations.
Greene-Placentia says she doesn’t remember the location or key details about her attackers, including their races or facial features, only that one wore black boots with tan cuffs and that she saw a yellow and black laundromat sign. Greene-Placentia said one of the men called her an “—ic b*tch,” which she said she took to mean “Democratic b*tch.”
Greene-Placentia told outlets that she was “pretty sure” her attackers knew her.
“I did get the feeling that I was recognized,” said Greene-Placentia in an interview with CNN.
“Whether it was for political reasons or whatever, it was an attack on a woman,” said Greene-Placentia in an interview with ABC News.
Hamadeh announced the reward to find Greene-Placentia’s two attackers on the day of an event dedicated to condemning the alleged sexual assault she endured. Greene-Placentia was supposed to be there, but she skipped the event.
“Nothing is more important to me than the safety and security of my constituents. As a former prosecutor who has fought for survivors of sexual assault, I am offering a reward for information leading to the capture and arrest of the two individuals responsible for this crime,” said Hamadeh. “Sexual assault is a serious violent offense. Survivors deserve justice, and those who commit these acts must be held accountable.”
Isaiah Lopez, Greene-Placentia’s campaign spokesman, said that she skipped the event because it was too difficult for her to again recount the details of the alleged assault.
“Bernadette had every intention of being here this morning, but sharing her experience of sexual assault publicly, it’s been very difficult, and having to revisit that experience repeatedly has taken its toll,” said Lopez.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the alleged sexual assault. They have not announced any suspects or motives.
The alleged rape occurred following multiple letters from the Federal Elections Commission warning Greene-Placentia of failure to follow campaign finance reporting law and potential campaign finance violations. The attack occurred three days prior to the response due date given in the latest letter.
Some voters have expressed doubts about the truth to Greene-Placentia’s claims, noting her delay in reporting to police and comparing her story to the hate crime hoax perpetrated by actor Jussie Smollett in early 2019.
Greene-Placentia began disseminating her story and campaigning off of it in early October, traditionally the month of October surprises. An October surprise refers to a newsworthy event with the potential to influence the outcome of an election.
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