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LA City Council Meeting Canceled As Pressure On Cedillo And De León To Resign Grows
Protestors demonstrate outside City Hall on October 12, 2022, calling for the resignations of L.A. City Council members Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo in the wake of a leaked audio recording.
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Mario Tama
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Two city council members at the center of scandal over a leaked racist conversation face building pressure to resign.
Mitch O’Farrell, now acting City Council president following Nury Martinez's resignation, canceled Friday’s scheduled Los Angeles city council meeting.
He said he thought there was a good chance his remaining colleagues will listen to calls to step down.
“I'm hopeful that because the call to action and the conversations with Mr. de León and Mr. Cedillo are ongoing, and not just for me, but from elected officials and former elected officials from across the entire spectrum from local to congressional,” O'Farrell said at a news conference Thursday. ”The chorus and the unity in demanding these resignations is only growing stronger.”
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The Backlash To The Tape
More on City Hall Tape Scandal
Oct. 9: Tape becomes public
Oct. 10: Martinez steps back as Council President
Oct. 11: Martinez announces she's taking a leave
Oct 12: Martinez resigns and California Attorney General launches investigation
Oct. 13: Calls continue for Cedillo and de León to quit
Oct. 19: Kevin de León says he won't resign from office
Explaining What's Going On So Far
Public backlash erupted after a secret recording of a meeting between council members Nury Martinez, Cedillo, de León and labor leader Ron Herrera surfaced over the weekend. Racist and demeaning language was used to describe a fellow council member’s child, who is Black, as well as immigrant Mexican communities. Additional remarks were homophobic and others targeted Armenians and the Jewish community.
Martinez resigned her council seat Wednesday after elected leaders, including President Biden, called for all three city council members to step down.
What's Next
O’Farrell said he’d spoken to Cedillo on Wednesday, “and he made it really clear that he is taking into consideration the gravity of the moment, and, and what he ultimately is going to need to do."
Despite attempts to contact him, O’Farrell said he has not spoken to de León. But the resignations do not appear imminent.
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“If I felt that there were going to be two additional resignations today, I would not have canceled tomorrow's meeting. I just don't see it happening by then,” O’Farrell told reporters.
The two men haven’t been seen in the City Council chambers since Monday, when they were shouted at by an outraged crowd who demanded their resignations. Both men left the chamber soon after, and did not appear at the City Council meeting Tuesday, which was disbanded due to protests.
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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.
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