Lawmaker known as 'Huggy Bear' warned about hugging people

A California politician has been formally reprimanded after an investigation substantiated claims that he engaged in unwelcome hugging.

A report released Thursday shows that state Sen. Bob Hertzberg had already been warned before by Senate leadership that his behavior had been making people uncomfortable, but he nonetheless continued, WESH reports.

The behavior would earn him the nicknames "Hugsberg" and "Huggy Bear."

Along with detailing his past incidents, the report on Hertzberg explicitly told him to "not initiate hugs."

"You cannot solve the problem by asking someone if a hug is unwelcome or welcome," it stated, "because a person may not feel comfortable telling you it is unwelcome."

Among the encounters confirmed by the Senate Rules Committee involving the Los Angeles-area Democrat were instances that saw him "likely" hugging former Assemblywoman Linda Halderman, hugging a female senator until she had to ask him to stop and "danced briefly with his backside against a male Sergeant at Arms in a manner that was unwanted and made the Sergeant uncomfortable.

Halderman also claimed that he once constricted her arms in the Capitol hallway as he grinded his groin into her, but the Senate report failed to address that incident and confirm if it took place.

In a statement, Hertzberg noted how the report concluded his "motivation for hugging is not sexual in nature" but also apologized to anyone "who felt my hugs were unwelcome," deeming them "a gesture of warmth and kindness and a reflection of my exuberance."

"I understand that I cannot control how a hug is received, and that not everyone has the ability to speak up about unwelcome behavior," the former California Assembly speaker said. "It is my responsibility to be mindful of this."

The committee has warned Hertzberg that if further incidents occur, he will face "more severe discipline."

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