Randy Villegas, a California Democrat running to represent the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District in California's Central Valley, built his school board campaign on promises of transparency for the Visalia Unified School District. Documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times and reviewed by Fox News Digital show that during Villegas's tenure on the board, VUSD approved five confidential sex-abuse settlements totaling nearly $14.4 million, with provisions designed to keep information from the public.
Villegas is a college professor who continues to serve on the Visalia Unified School District board. His congressional campaign website states he aims to "bring accountable, people-first leadership to Washington." The district's settlement agreements were reached to resolve claims and did not constitute any admission of wrongdoing, according to the documents.
In at least one case confirmed by Fox News Digital, Villegas was present when the school board unanimously approved a $3 million confidential settlement involving sexual assault allegations against a kindergarten teacher from six former students. That settlement included provisions requiring parties to state only that "the matter has been resolved" and promising no "further elaboration, discussion, or disclosure." The underlying complaint alleged incidents occurring between 1969 and 1971 in both a classroom and restroom.
Villegas's campaign and the Visalia Unified School District did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital before publication, including questions about transparency promises and whether the public deserved more disclosure. Board minutes from March 2025 confirm Villegas was present when the board returned from closed session and approved the settlement identified as Tulare County Superior Court Case No. VCU 294247.
What the Right Is Saying
The National Republican Congressional Committee sharply criticized Villegas in a statement to Fox News Digital. "California Democrats have turned this race into a nightmare for parents," said NRCC Press Secretary Christian Martinez. "Socialist Randy Villegas quietly approved massive confidential settlements tied to the sexual abuse of children, while Progressive Jasmeet Bains is backed by activists who pushed to weaken sex offender laws and strip parents of their rights proving both are willing to sacrifice kids' safety to protect their far-left allies and agenda."
Republican critics argue that a candidate who championed transparency on the campaign trail approved multiple settlements containing provisions specifically designed to prevent public disclosure. They contend this represents a contradiction between Villegas's stated values and his actual record, particularly given the sensitive nature of the allegations involving minors.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive supporters of Villegas have not publicly responded to requests for comment on this story. Defenders of confidential school district settlements typically argue that such agreements protect the privacy and wellbeing of abuse survivors, who often prefer not to have their identities or experiences aired publicly. Confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements are common practice across California school districts facing similar allegations.
Democratic strategists have noted that the settlements occurred under a process typical for handling sensitive legal matters and do not indicate Villegas personally mishandled any cases. They argue that attacking a candidate over legal settlements approved through proper board procedures, rather than personal misconduct, represents a distortion of his record on the board.
What the Numbers Show
The Los Angeles Times reported five "secret settlement" cases at Visalia Unified School District over three years during Villegas's tenure on the board. The total value of these confidential settlements reached approximately $14.4 million. Fox News Digital confirmed through Tulare County Superior Court records that six defendants were listed in the case matching Case No. VCU 294247, which was approved by the board with Villegas present. The kindergarten teacher at the center of one confirmed settlement allegedly assaulted students between 1969 and 1971. Board minutes confirm Villegas's presence at the March 2025 closed session vote that approved this settlement.
The Bottom Line
This story highlights tensions between a candidate's public messaging on government transparency and documented actions during his tenure in local office. Villegas faces questions about what he knew regarding the confidential nature of these settlements and whether they align with his stated commitment to open governance if elected to Congress. The NRCC has already begun using this narrative against him in the competitive Central Valley race. Without a response from Villegas's campaign, key questions about his knowledge of and role in approving these settlements remain unanswered as voters evaluate his candidacy for the 22nd Congressional District seat.
Villegas is running following California's Proposition 50 redistricting changes that created the new district. The contrast between his transparency platform and the secretive nature of the VUSD settlement process provides a potential line of attack for Republican opponents seeking to flip or contest the traditionally Democratic-leaning Central Valley seat.