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How The Secret Tapes Scandal Has Changed The LA City Council
Councilmember Nithya Raman photographed at her home.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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35:14
Nury & The Secret Tapes: Part 4
In the year since the L.A. City Council tape scandal, a lot has changed. Efforts are underway to reform the redistricting process. Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo are gone from the council. Only Kevin De León remains. Progressive shifts in the council are influencing its policies, and new elected members are working to forge a new way forward in L.A. This is the last episode of Nury & The Secret Tapes. Support LAist Today: https://LAist.com/donate Go to Hellofresh.com/50imperfect and use code 50imperfect for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months! Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
The L.A. City Council has become more progressive in the year since the tape scandal, but substantive reforms have not occurred. In Episode 4 of Imperfect Paradise: Nury and the Secret Tapes — an exclusive look behind the scenes of the scandal — host Antonia Cereijido talks to council members Nithya Raman and Eunisses Hernandez about the fallout from the leaked tapes.
Nithya Raman's take
Raman says the leak of the tapes — which included racist and derogatory comments from fellow council members — has made her more wary. "I think I have a recognition of what it means to have private conversations go back to other people and saw the pain that that wrought on the city," Raman says.
What Eunisses Hernandez says
While she strongly disagrees ideologically with former city council president Nury Martinez, who resigned after the tapes were linked, Hernandez says Martinez is the only one who has taken responsibility for the scandal. "It feels like another moment of like, a woman, Latina, having to step up and clean up a mess," she said.
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Listen
35:14
In the year since the L.A. City Council tape scandal, a lot has changed. Efforts are underway to reform the redistricting process. Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo are gone from the council. Only Kevin De León remains. Progressive shifts in the council are influencing its policies, and new elected members are working to forge a new way forward in L.A.
In the year since the L.A. City Council tape scandal, a lot has changed. Efforts are underway to reform the redistricting process. Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo are gone from the council. Only Kevin De León remains. Progressive shifts in the council are influencing its policies, and new elected members are working to forge a new way forward in L.A.
More from this season
- The Story Of The LA City Hall Tape Scandal, As Told By The People Who Lived It
- Why We Wanted To Interview Former LA City Council President Nury Martinez
- To Understand Nury Martinez’s Downfall, We Take A Look Into Her Rise To Power
- Exclusive: We Asked Nury Martinez To Explain What She Said On The Secret Tapes. Here’s What She Said
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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.
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.
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