Kerri Asbury, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County, told Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee she believes Johnson should resign from his position as mayor.
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SI’s Richard Deitsch wrote that “ESPN has made a decision to delay its on-the-air premiere” of the 77-minute documentary, Down In the Valley, “in light of recent articles revisiting allegations of sexual misconduct involving Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson”, the report stated.
“At a minimum, I think he needs to not seek re-election”, Asbury said.
“I do think they will air it at the appropriate time, and we’re going to be respectful of whatever that timeline is, but today we’re going to go in and enjoy the story”, Johnson said.
Democratic Political Strategist, and Johnson’s former campaign manager, Steve Maviglio said unlike the Democratic Party, people are willing to look beyond the allegations because Johnson has done a lot for the city. The feud dates back to 2003, when Johnson’s nonprofit St. Hope organization was awarded control of Sacramento High School and began operating the campus as a charter school employing non-union teachers. Johnson appears prominently in the advertising for the film, though Dahl wanted to make it clear that the film is not a Kevin Johnson biopic.
Monday night, preceding the showing of the film, Johnson spoke to a crowd outside the theater, asserting that there was no “there there” to the allegations, adding that ESPN had the right to cancel the nationwide release but he expected the release to eventually happen.
A video posted by the website Deadspin shows Mandi Koba, then 16, in an interview with Phoenix police accusing Johnson of molesting her at his Phoenix home. In 2008, the Sacramento Bee reported Johnson reached a $230,000 settlement with his accuser.
The city of Sacramento has a screening of the film planned for tonight and Dahl said that ESPN would not stand in the way of the city holding events for the current cut of the film that exists. Johnson has repeatedly denied the allegations and no criminal charges were filed.
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“This is a story that’s been investigated time and time again”, he said.
