2 Los Angeles councilmen to be stripped of committee roles amid furor over racist remarks
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two Los Angeles City Council members are being stripped of their committee seats and leadership posts even as pressure continues for them to resign altogether.
The two members, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo, were caught participating in a recorded conversation involving racist remarks and manipulation of the city redistricting process. A third councilmember, Nury Martinez, has already resigned her seat but de León and Cedillo have so far resisted stepping down.
Acting Council President Mitch O'Farrell, who took over the role when Martinez stepped down, said for now all the council can do is remove de León and Cedillo from their leadership assignments.
The council by law does not have the ability to remove fellow elected members unless they've been accused of serious criminal charges. If they don't resign, the only other way to remove them from office is by a recall election.
Cedillo lost his primary election this summer and his term will expire in December if he does not resign before then.
LA's Black-Latino tensions bared in City Council scandal over racist remarks
The council will also re-examine some of the underlying issues that have re-emerged amid the scandal.
During Tuesday's meeting, O'Farrell said, the council will start tackling issues such as redistricting reform, increasing representation on the council and electing a new president.
A council committee will also start meeting to consider a formal vote of censure against the members who participated in the conversation.
Because Councilman Mike Bonin recently tested positive for COVID-19, Tuesday's meeting is being held virtually.
In the meantime, protesters with Black Lives Matter continue to camp out near de León's home, saying they will not leave until he resigns. Some of them said the discussion about redistricting heard in the recorded conversation resulted in a loss of political power for Black communities.
"The whole reason they were in that meeting was to undermine Black political representation and Black power in Los Angeles," said Joseph Williams, one of the BLM protesters. "That absolutely needs to be investigated."
