Assembly candidate Phil Graham has been cleared of an allegation that he kissed a woman against her wishes and then followed her out of a bar in Encinitas and tried to get her to touch him sexually, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reported Tuesday.
The announcement came after the sheriff’s department conducted what it called a “thorough investigation” into the allegations against Graham, a Republican and stepson of former Gov. Pete Wilson.
A woman had alleged that Graham kissed her against her wishes some time between 1 a.m. and 1:40 a.m. on May 14 at the First Street Bar, according to San Diego County sheriff’s Lt. Michael Blevins.
“The (woman) said she had met a man, identified as California Assembly candidate Phil Graham, at the bar earlier in the evening and that they had engaged in conversation,” Blevins said. “At some point during the evening, the reported victim alleged Mr. Graham had kissed her against her wishes and subsequently followed her outside the business.”
The woman said that once outside, Graham tried to get her to touch him “in a sexual manner against her wishes,” Blevins said.
“On May 21 … San Diego County Sheriff’s Department sexual assault detectives were assigned to the case,” Blevins said. “After conducting a thorough investigation, interviewing several witnesses and reviewing video surveillance from both inside and outside of the business, detectives disproved the allegations made against Mr. Graham.
“As a result, this case is being closed as unfounded, pending any new or additional information.”
Graham is running for the Assembly in the 76th District in northern San Diego County.
–City News Service
