The former chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party has settled a lawsuit accusing him of rape, two years after the allegations prompted him to step away from the powerful political role.
Will Rodriguez-Kennedy has always denied the accusations and was never criminally charged.
He issued a joint statement with his accuser and ex-boyfriend, Oscar Rendon, saying Rendon had withdrawn the allegations and that the suit had been dismissed by mutual agreement.
“Recently we have had the opportunity to meet and discuss a misunderstanding that caused us both a lot of pain,” the statement said.
“With this behind us, we are wishing each other the very best as we move on with our lives,” it added. “William and I would like everyone to respect our peace and privacy moving forward.”
Terms of an agreement were not made public. Court records show the civil case has been dismissed and all future proceedings vacated.
Rodriguez-Kennedy announced in May 2022 that he was taking a leave of absence as county party chair as party officials and prosecutors reviewed potential criminal allegations against him. He maintained the accusations were entirely false.
By September of that year, days after prosecutors declined to file charges, Rendon filed a civil lawsuit accusing Rodriguez-Kennedy of raping him when he was drunk and unconscious.
Rodriguez-Kennedy again denied the claims, and he and his lawyers called a news conference to play an audio tape they said proved the accusation was false.
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The former Democratic Party chair has said the accusations took a significant toll on his professional life and his mental health, leaving him struggling to find work and wrestling with suicidal thoughts.
“A lot of horrible things have happened to me, and it’s been a challenge to get through them,” he wrote in a statement posted this past week. “There were some really dark days, and I almost didn’t make it through.”
Rodriguez-Kennedy, a former U.S. Marine, now works in veterans services in the office of Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego). He also serves on the board of directors of the San Diego Convention Center and the San Diego County Civil Service Commission.
Neither Rendon nor his attorney responded to requests for comment.
In the same statement issued by Rodriguez-Kennedy and Rendon, the former Democratic Party chair’s lawyer suggested her client may pursue separate legal action over what she described as a political attack.
“Today we celebrate the truth: My client is innocent,” attorney Marlea Dell’Anno said. “Tomorrow, we begin assessing our legal options for holding accountable the people responsible for this egregious act.”
