Women's sexual harassment claims rattle California capital
Pamela Lopez
(CNN)  Lobbyist Pamela Lopez  walked into a bathroom and felt the rush of a large man behind  her .
 He  pushed  her  inside   she  said  and before  Lopez  could turn around  she  heard the door lock.
 The man  began to masturbate and told  her  to "touch  his  penis "  she  told CNN. "I was terrified. I backed  myself  against the wall and thought  'What am I going to do?'"
 Lopez 's story sounds similar to the ones told by more than 40 women over the last two weeks accusing movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault.  Lopez  was inspired by those women to speak up.
The man Lopez accuses of assault   she  says  is a current California state legislator.  She 's one of nearly 150 women who have signed a public letter decrying a culture of sexual harassment in California's state politics  which takes root when lawmakers  staffers and lobbyists descend on Sacramento each year for the legislative session.
 Lopez  says she firmly told the man  "No  I'm not going to touch you " causing  him  to plead that she at least touch another part of  his  body as  he  gratified  himself .
 Lopez  refused  and says that after  he  finished she insisted they "walk out that door" and return to the party.
" He  said  'OK  don't tell anybody this happened.'"  Lopez  recalls. "I felt like  he 'd done this before;  he  wasn't shy."
 Lopez  says she's not afraid to speak up now because she is a high-level partner at the K Street Consulting firm  and has the support of her colleagues.
As for  Lopez 's claim of assault by a legislator  Daniel Alvarez  secretary of the state Senate  called it "startling and unsettling." In a statement  he added that even though there is no formal complaint  "We take the allegation very seriously  and we are currently reviewing the matter."
For  Lopez   she said she continues to see the man she says assaulted her  and calls his lack of apology "dehumanizing."
"They know they can get away with it and they don't owe you the slightest apology "  Lopez  said. "It's a challenge many women in politics have to deal with."
(CNN)  [TGT]walked into a bathroom and felt the rush of a large man behind  her .
 [TGT]  pushed  [TGT]  inside   [TGT]  said  and before  [TGT]could turn around  [TGT]  heard the door lock.
 The man  began to masturbate and told  [TGT]  to "touch  his  penis "  she  told CNN. "I was terrified. I backed  myself  against the wall and thought  'What am I going to do?'"
 Lopez 's story sounds similar to the ones told by more than 40 women over the last two weeks accusing movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault.  [TGT]was inspired by those women to speak up.
[TGT]is a current California state legislator.  [TGT] 's one of nearly 150 women who have signed a public letter decrying a culture of sexual harassment in California's state politics  which takes root when lawmakers  staffers and lobbyists descend on Sacramento each year for the legislative session.
 [TGT]says [TGT] firmly told the man  "No  I'm not going to touch you " causing  [TGT]  to plead that [TGT] at least touch another part of  [TGT]  body as  [TGT]  gratified  [TGT] .
 [TGT]refused  and says that after  [TGT]  finished [TGT] insisted they "walk out that door" and return to the party.
" [TGT]  said  'OK  don't tell anybody this happened.'"  [TGT]recalls. "I felt like  [TGT] 'd done this before;  [TGT]  wasn't shy.[TGT]says [TGT]'s not afraid to speak up now because [TGT] is a high-level partner at the K Street Consulting firm  and has the support of [TGT] colleagues.
As for  Lopez 's claim of assault by a legislator  Daniel Alvarez  secretary of the state Senate  called it "startling and unsettling." In a statement  he added that even though there is no formal complaint  "We take the allegation very seriously  and we are currently reviewing the matter."
For  [TGT][TGT] said [TGT] continues to see the man [TGT] says assaulted [TGT]  and calls his lack of apology "dehumanizing."
"They know they can get away with it and they don't owe you the slightest apology "  [TGT]said. "It's a challenge many women in politics have to deal with."