Current:Home > StocksLA councilman who rebuffed Biden’s call to resign after racism scandal is running for reelection-LoTradeCoin
LA councilman who rebuffed Biden’s call to resign after racism scandal is running for reelection
View Date:2024-12-23 21:09:26
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles councilman who was entangled in a City Hall racism scandal and resisted calls from President Joe Biden and other leading Democrats to resign announced Wednesday that he is running for reelection.
The scandal last year shook public trust in government and led to the resignations of then-Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and a powerful labor leader.
Democrat Kevin de Leon has apologized repeatedly, but his refusal to resign set off long-running protests that disrupted council meetings. He said in a statement he would seek another term after making “unprecedented strides” in his district, which cuts through downtown Los Angeles.
He has continued to collect his annual salary of about $229,000 — among the most lucrative paydays for city council members in the nation.
The scandal was triggered by a leaked recording of crude, racist comments during a private meeting involving Martinez, de Leon and two others — all Latino Democrats — in which they plotted to expand their political power at the expense of Black voters during a realignment of council district boundaries.
Following the disclosure of the recording, the California Legislative Black Caucus said it “reveals an appalling effort to decentralize Black voices during the critical redistricting process.” Speakers at council meetings said it echoed the Jim Crow era and was a stark example of “anti-Blackness.”
Rivalries among groups separated by race, geography, partisanship or religion have a long history in Los Angeles and the country. The friction can cross into housing, education and jobs — even prisons — as well as the spoils of political power.
Stripped of his ability to participate in council committees and facing pressure to resign, de Leon has been maneuvering in public and private to emerge from political purgatory, despite being reviled by some colleagues who say they cannot work with him.
There is no legal avenue for his colleagues to remove him — the council can only suspend a member when criminal charges are pending.
De Leon, a former state Senate leader, said he has been working on the city’s long-running homeless crisis, as well as revitalizing parks and public spaces in his district.
State Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, who says he is running for de Leon’s seat, said in a statement that the councilman should resign, not seek another term.
“Enough is enough,” Santiago said. “While he has been consumed with scandal, he has failed his district. ... The people want change.”
The primary election is March 5.
veryGood! (167)
Related
- Nicole Kidman Reveals the Surprising Reason for Starring in NSFW Movie Babygirl
- How Charlie Sheen leveraged sports-gambling habit to reunite with Chuck Lorre on 'Bookie'
- Six West Virginia jail employees indicted in connection with death of incarcerated man
- Cockpit voice recordings get erased after some close calls. The FAA will try to fix that
- Does your dog have arthritis? A lot of them do. But treatment can be tricky
- Latest hospital cyberattack shows how health care systems' vulnerability can put patients at risk
- Mystery dog illness: What to know about the antibiotic chloramphenicol as a possible cure
- Jill Biden unveils White House ice rink
- World leaders aim to shape Earth's future at COP29 climate change summit
- Scotland bids farewell to its giant pandas that are returning to China after 12-year stay
Ranking
- Will Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul end in KO? Boxers handle question differently
- Collective bargaining ban in Wisconsin under attack by unions after Supreme Court majority flips
- Indiana announces hiring of James Madison’s Curt Cignetti as new head coach
- MSNBC shuffling weekend schedule, debuting new morning ensemble, heading into election year
- Glen Powell Addresses Rumor He’ll Replace Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible Franchise
- Facebook parent Meta sues the FTC claiming ‘unconstitutional authority’ in child privacy case
- After a 2-year delay, deliveries of Tesla's Cybertruck are scheduled to start Thursday
- University of Minnesota Duluth senior defensive lineman dies of genetic heart condition
Recommendation
-
Father, 5 children hurt in propane tank explosion while getting toys: 'Devastating accident'
-
Paste Magazine acquires Jezebel, plans to relaunch it just a month after it was shut down by G/O Media
-
Why do millennials know so much about personal finance? (Hint: Ask their parents.)
-
Trucking boss gets 7 years for role in 2019 smuggling that led to deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants
-
NFL power rankings Week 11: Steelers, Eagles enjoying stealthy rises
-
Brazilian city enacts an ordinance secretly written by a surprising new staffer: ChatGPT
-
Watch two sea lions venture back into the ocean after rehabilitating in California
-
Democrats lose attempt to challenge New Hampshire electoral district maps