### Republican Candidate Admits to Welfare Fraud, Faces Legal Repercussions

Denise Aguilar Mendez, a Republican candidate seeking a seat in the California Assembly, has admitted to committing welfare fraud, according to court records. The Stockton resident pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the offense in 2020, traced back to allegations from 2019.

In 2019, Aguilar faced three felony charges: aid by misrepresentation, perjury, and grand theft of personal property. These charges emerged from accusations that she deceived the San Joaquin County Health Services Agency out of $10,984 in public funds over a span of two years, from 2016 to 2018. Initially pleading not guilty, Aguilar later struck a deal in September 2020 that reduced her felony charges to a single misdemeanor welfare fraud charge.

As part of her sentencing, Aguilar was ordered to repay the embezzled funds, pay $385 in fines, and complete a total of 120 hours of community service at the Stockton Homeless Shelter. Additionally, she received a 40-day jail sentence, subsequently reduced to 20 days, which she served in February 2023.

Despite these legal troubles, Aguilar remains eligible to run for office under California election code, which disqualifies candidates only if they are convicted of specific felonies such as embezzlement, extortion, or bribery. Nonetheless, Aguilar's candidacy appears to be a long shot, given that her district predominantly supports Democratic candidates.

Further complicating her situation are documents showing that Aguilar missed multiple court dates. In July 2019, the San Joaquin Superior Court issued a felony arrest warrant against her after she failed to appear for her arraignment, setting her bail at $15,000. While she did eventually appear for subsequent hearings, her repeated absences led to the revocation of her conditional probation in January 2022. Her probation was later modified in January 2023 before she served her reduced jail sentence.