Arizona Democratic congressional candidate alleges rape while posting campaign signs

Democratic congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia said she was attacked and raped while repairing campaign signs in a Sun City parking lot on Aug. 14. She reported being knocked unconscious and waking to find a man on top of her, but did not file a police report until two weeks later.

Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times she felt embarrassed and wanted to forget the incident, yet decided to speak out to support other victims. She said she did not seek medical treatment or a sexual-assault examination and that her recollection of the event is incomplete, describing the two assailants as white men.

Republican opponent Abraham Hamadeh, running for a second term, called for a thorough investigation, including a search for any camera footage from the time and location. > "No American should become a victim of a crime in their own community," Hamadeh said.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the investigation is ongoing. Greene-Placentia said she withdrew from public activities for two days after the assault, staying apart from her husband and missing a campaign event. She expressed concern that the allegations could be viewed as a political stunt and feared they might distract from her campaign focus on affordability.