Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Mayor Tony's Hot Tamale

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

()

When Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced last month that he was getting a divorce from his wife of 20 years, we thought it was tacky that many in the press and local blogosphere were demanding that he reveal if the breakup was due to an affair.

We at LAist didn't see how that would be relevant or necessary to disclose since a divorce is an extremely sensitive personal matter whose details should be of no concern to the public.

But then we learned today that the Mayor's chica is Mirthala Salinas, a newswoman for Telemundo, so, yes the press (who probably knew exactly who the Mayor's emotional friend was) was correct in demanding full disclosure since it would be important to see if there was any professional impropriety.

Support for LAist comes from
Amid questions whether Salinas reported on the mayor while they were romantically involved, [Mayor Tony] said that about a year ago Salinas "asked to be removed" from her role in the station's political coverage. Telemundo spokesman Alfredo Richard had said Salinas, a backup anchor and general news correspondent, moved off the political beat, which includes coverage of the mayor, about 11 months ago.

"I believe she did not cover the mayor since her new assignment," Richard said. - Daily News

Bueno? For most it would be, but then someone asked the Mayor if his mamacita was with bambina:
Asked today whether Salinas -- now an evening anchor for Telemundo, Channel 52 -- is pregnant, Villaraigosa said: "I can tell you emphatically that that question is outrageous and the answer is no, she is not pregnant." - LA Times
Meanwhile LA Observed is reporting that this isn't the first politician that the newswoman has dallied with.photo via Telemundo

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist