The California chapter of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has dismissed a business agent with a history of child molestation after Congress raised questions about how he was hired, as shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) by the House Education and Labor Committee.
SEIU Local 87 in San Francisco informed the committee on October 20 that Noelia Linares, who had entered a no contest plea in 2018 for child molestation and related charges, was let go. Tim Wahlberg, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, has previously worked with SEIU. After DCNF exclusively uncovered Linares’ criminal history in June, the union questioned why a sex offender was employed, considering its service to “vulnerable populations” and child care providers.
Tom Jones, president of the conservative advocacy group American Accountability Foundation, expressed to DCNF, “It’s utterly disgraceful that a large union needs Congressional intervention just to address child sexual abuse accusations.” They first discovered Linares’ conviction through a public records request.
Repeated attempts by DCNF to contact Linares via his SEIU Local 87 email were unsuccessful, and they couldn’t find any contact info outside the union. SEIU Local 87 President Olga Miranda also did not respond to requests for a comment.
“How did the SEIU come to hire Linares, whose past is riddled with warning signs? It’s clear that groups like this lack moral integrity and often harbor hypocrites,” Jones remarked.
Linares had been arrested in 2017 while working as a teaching assistant at South San Francisco High School. She faced various charges, including unlawful sexual acts with a minor and displaying pornography to minors involving four alleged victims. Reports indicate her charges were lessened through a plea deal, resulting in a one-year prison sentence, with nearly three years suspended.
Since joining SEIU Local 87 in 2022, Linares’ salary reportedly rose each year, reaching $66,672 in 2024, according to earlier reports by DCNF.
Walberg noted the significance of SEIU representing over a million workers, many in direct contact with children in roles like child care and education. He emphasized that hiring a convicted sex offender to represent the union is unacceptable.
Walberg expressed relief at Linares’ removal, saying, “No dues-paying union member would want a criminal or sex offender as their representative.”
In September, Walberg highlighted that federal law currently prohibits unions from hiring those convicted of certain violent crimes, like rape. He advocated for amending the law to also include registered sex offenders from holding union positions.
In related news, David Huerta, another SEIU leader from California, was charged by the Trump administration with obstructing a federal officer during an attempt to block a government vehicle during an ICE raid, according to court records.
This incident triggered violent protests against ICE in Los Angeles, spurred by activist groups and SEIU’s calls for demonstrations against law enforcement. These protests escalated, leading to vandalism and more arrests in the following days, yet SEIU continued to encourage ongoing protests.
Since 2008, SEIU has invested millions in supporting Democratic candidates. Reports suggest they have also been active in helping Democratic voters ahead of the 2024 election.
