L.A. Councilman Kevin de Leon Says He Won’t Resign Following Leaked Meeting Containing Racist And Crude Remarks
On Wednesday (October 19), Los Angeles Councilman Kevin de Leon said he would not resign amid an uproar over a leaked tape that revealed him participating in a meeting in which Latino officials made crude and racist remarks while also plotting to expand their political power.
According to the Associated Press, de Leon told Univision that he is “so sorry” and wants to continue working on homelessness and other problems in his district.
“I will not resign because there is a lot of work ahead,” de Leon said in the interview. “I feel very bad, I feel very sorry for the damage, for the wounds that exist today in our communities.”
The scandal has already led to the resignation of former City Council President Nury Martinez and calls from President Joe Biden for those involved to step down.
The racist comments came during a nearly year-old meeting, which also provided a brutally honest look into the city’s racial rivalries. Those involved in the private meeting also spent much of the time discussing how to safeguard Latino political power during the redrawing of council district boundaries.
The Los Angeles City Council installed a new president on Tuesday after a chanting crowd of protesters called for halting the vote until de Leon and fellow Councilmember Gil Cedillo, who also has skirted calls to resign, give up their post for their part in the 2021 meeting.
