L.A City Councilman Kevin de Leon REFUSES to RESIGN Following Nury Martinez

Despite public outrage and mounting public pressures to resign following the Nury Martinez leaked audio scandal and the current fall out at L.A City Hall, Councilman Kevin de Leon says he will not resign.

In an interview with Univsion and CBSLA, de Leon stands his ground and says he is focused instead on healing and reconciliation.

“I’m sorry to my constituents, I’m sorry to my colleagues. I’m sorry to the family of Mike Bonin, to my family. To all those who have supported me. Especially the janitors, the security officers and the hotel workers. I failed. I failed to step up.

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles are currently camped outside his home in Eagle Rock.

Martinez was being recorded while discussing redistricting, as well making offensive comments about various groups–including the 2-year-old Black son of L.A Councilman Mike Bonin.

She also made offensive comments about indigenous Latino’s as well as other groups.

The hour-long audio was recorded during a meeting in 2021 at the headquarters of the L.A County Federation of Labor.

Martinez, along with De Leon and Cedillo, had taken a meeting with Ron Herrera, President of the Federation to discuss redistricting.

Herrera has been a union member for over 41 years and headed a powerful labor organization representing over 300 unions and 800,000 workers in Los Angeles.

Read More: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/19/la-council-de-leon-leaked-record-resign-00062630

“Ive taken inventory with my family, friends, with my staff. I’ve raised a bright light doing self examination and I’m sorry. I’m sorry to my constituents. I didn’t shut down a conversation over words that were hurtful. I’m so sorry to the City of L.A for not stepping up and being that leader that they expect me to be,” said de Leon.

Martinez and Herrera, Federation of Labor President, both resigned following the scandal.

Protesters and angry L.A community members showed up to the first L.A City Council meeting last week by the hundreds, to voice their discontent and disgust with their elected officials.

De Leon and Cedillo were forced from City Hall Chambers before protesters would allow the meeting to begin. They have since been absent from City Council meetings and stripped of their committee duties.

“Three folks decided to have an off-site meeting for the purpose of consolidating their power, at the expense of the African-American community,” L.A City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell said during a press conference this week.

The City Council are currently meeting remotely, due to concerns over Covid-19.

Councilmen Mike Bonin and recently elected Council President Paul Krekorian have both tested positive for Covid in recent weeks.

Paul Krekorian was elected as L.A Council President Tuesday.

De Leon continues his interview with CBSLA saying that he has apologized profusely and that he failed “in that moment.”

“Listen, I grew up in poverty. Child of an immigrant mother with a 3rd grade education. I represent a district that’s one of the poorest in the entire nation, that’s been devastated because of the coronavirus. I have the largest homeless population in the entire city of Los Angeles. It’s a district that’s been underserved, under resourced under financed and under represented for years if not decades. Our constituents deserve representation,” de Leon said.

Read More: https://voiceofblackla.com/black-lives-matter-protest-councilman-kevin-de-leon-home/