Murrieta Mayor Harry Ramos calls sexual harassment allegations 'completely false'

MURRIETA, Calif. (KABC) -- Murrieta Mayor Harry Ramos broke his silence Friday regarding allegations that he groped a mother of three and even attempted to force himself on her during a mixer earlier this year.

"I have never in all of my life inappropriately touched a woman or forced myself onto a woman," he said. "All associated with this sham should be ashamed."

Kathleen Smith said the sexual harassment took place during a Chamber of Commerce mixer at the Murrieta Spectrum shopping center in January. She filed a claim against the city on Thursday seeking unspecified damages for Ramos' alleged misdeeds while carrying out his official duties.

"Without asking, he grabbed me and he started to kiss me, putting his tongue in my mouth, and I was stunned and shocked," Smith said.

On Friday, the mayor said his accuser has political motivations.

"I was told that she was approached to do this simply with intentions to make her into a political pawn, simply because I refused to vote or go along with crony politics and support certain chosen developers and friends within the city," Ramos said.

Smith's attorney, Dan Gilleon, says that's absurd.

"It's a conspiracy, it's all these sorts of things. Wait no actually mayor, it's you grabbed her butt, you stuck your tongue down her throat and you put your hand up her skirt, that's what happened here," Gilleon said.

Ramos is also the subject of an internal probe into his actions as a city council member.

The city has six months to respond to the claim for damages. If the claim is not resolved, Smith intends to file a lawsuit against Ramos and the city, Gilleon said.