I sat listening and doing nothing else in-order-to more fully understand what I hear, which is a private closed-door meeting about the politics of reelection, constituents’ needs, housing needs, people placed in beds by the council members as a means to dealing with mental health issues and being homeless, and job creation.
KnockLA:” The Future of LA City Council
A roundup of a tumultuous week: we published leaked audio of LA’s top leaders being racist, and also interviewed Councilmember Nithya Raman about reforming City Council.
Jon Peltz | October 14, 2022
Image: Knock LA
On Sunday, Knock LA published leaked audio recordings from a meeting that took place October 18, 2021, at the LA County Federation of Labor with three LA City Council members present.”
T: I challenge you to sit and do nothing but sip a beverage and listen to the whole audio uninterrupted, click on leaked audio recordings
KLA: “It exploded across the news nationally and even internationally. Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de León, Gil Cedillo, and LA Labor Federation President Ron Herrera were recorded making hateful comments about Oaxacans, Armenians, Jews, and Black people, as well as mocking gay people.”
T: They were talking about having assets for their parts of the city. To my knowledge and correct me if I’m wrong, assets are what a city can use to generate income to help and solve constituent and city issues. The council members were talking about having enough assets to help with job creation, to generate income for their districts.
This to me sounds like what redistricting is.
Looking at the needs of the constituents, while having the expertise of knowing how exactly assets, non-rent-controlled areas, buildings, airports, arenas, help not only bring income into our areas, but more importantly, which Martinez can’t stress enough on the audio, is to help with job creation. We the renters need rent-control and reasonable rents, which we have not had on a wider scale since the Costa Law.
“It protects a landlord's right to raise the rent to market rate on a unit once a tenant moves out. It prevents cities from establishing rent control—or capping rent—on units constructed after February 1995. It exempts single-family homes and condos from rent control restrictions.Apr 29, 2020
Costa Hawkins: California's law that limits rent control, explained”
Click on the link above to learn more on the Costa Law.
We want affordable rent. However, if every piece of real estate is rent- controlled, that does limit the income generated through tax and business that the city receives for the land, which represents in my mind, businesses and jobs.
How could a city keep up with the exaggerated inflation we see, if all of their properties, housing businesses, are rent-controlled? I imagine many professionals with Phds in relevant areas and or people with experience could explain this.
KLA: Martinez joked about beating Councilmember Mike Bonin’s child.
T: The audio describes how the dad paid no attention as the two-year old toddler ran around the float and hung on the railings. It describes the rocking motion of how the float felt, and how Martinez, Karen Bass, and a spouse of a council member looked after this child who was not theirs, because the father was not looking after his son.
The women were expected to watch the child even though they were City Officials and not there in a baby-sitting nor parenting capacity!
For more on this read my previous post, as well as the post where a Latina fellow high school classmate of Nury’s joins in the conversation, explaining how it is a Latin culture thing to refer to a hyper child as a little monkey. The contributor explains how even shewas referred to as a little changuita by her teachers because as a young school child it was hard for her to sit still.
I have the benefit of having worked in every type of classroom from rich to poor, rich white to poor white, to Latino’s, to blacks, to Armenians, to everyone else. You name the demographic and I have patiently been their teacher and ally in and out of the classroom.
https://tamiruth.weebly.com/tami-a-writer/in-gd-we-trust
https://tamiruth.weebly.com/tami-a-writer/quotes-from-contributor-on-nury-martinez-situation
KLA: Between bigoted comments, the four officials also strategized about carving up districts to consolidate their power,
T: Yes. Politicians are people too who want to Keep Their Jobs!
KLA: … and discussed their intention to ensure Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell be reelected over opponent Hugo Soto-Martinez in CD 13.
https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/is-hugo-soto-martinez-the-man-who-sprung-the-city-hall-leaks/
T: “It’s widely believed that the four heard in the leaked audio were the only persons present in the sensitive meeting that morning and that their hour-long exchange was recorded surreptitiously. The first details of the audio emerged in bombshell Sunday reports by the L.A. Times and Knock L.A. on Oct. 9—an October surprise for the ages, coming as it did a month before voting in the midterms and a flurry of hotly contested citywide elections.” (Excerpts from above link.)
“Cynical political insiders insist that the timing of the release and the media-savvy means of distribution are not accidental.
“This isn’t some woke kid at the Union who stumbled on a random recording of the city’s top leaders,” a longtime L.A. political advisor tells LAMag. “We are a month from the election’s and this will have a huge impact on all that. Nothing about this seems accidental.”
“…many L.A. political insiders have been whispering that the most likely to have set off the fuse was Hugo Soto-Martinez.”
KLA: They also talked about limiting the power of renters by scattering them across districts.
T: Right. Because how will that city district make money without the assets that include businesses making money to pay through taxes for all the programs, road repairs, fire department, police force, schools?
KLA: And throughout the litany of topics the group discussed, they showed utter disdain for their constituents.
T: Yes. They sound like tired old friends sitting around a campfire drinking whiskey, smoking reefers, playing a guitar, and taking stock of who they represent, while throwing out who’s got bigger balls style jokes in poor taste.
KLA: Councilmember Nithya Raman tells Knock LA that the recordings caused her to reflect on the last 20 months she’s been on City Council. “I’m still processing how the attitudes expressed in that recording may have impacted policymaking. It throws every policy discussion that we’ve had, about which there’s been a back and forth, into a new light for me.”
T: Nithya Raman from what I have garnered in my readings is the new kid on the block, and it sounded like somehow, she has to pay her dues, perhaps prove herself for what she can currently do for the constituents she already has? This comes with experience and wisdom along with fresh eyes and ears such as Raman herself? Or a combo of the old and salty been around the block politicians along with the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed new politicians?
KLA: Much has been written about the group’s recorded discussion of Latino vs. Black representation in districts.
T: “When I looked at our demographic percentages on the US Census there were two categories of whites, at 48.9% for “just white,” and another around 28.5% for white “non-Latino.” And about 48.1% Latino, while 8.8% are black.” (https://tamiruth.weebly.com)
(https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/losangelescitycalifornia)
KLA: LA Times’ Fidel Martinez observed that the claim officials were actually fighting for Latino representation falls apart under scrutiny.
T: How so? Explain.
KLA: Councilmember Raman says that the leaked audio does not show public officials having a good-faith conversation about representation, but that it instead was “about individuals seeking to consolidate their own electoral strength.”
T: That and represent the majority of the constituents’ needs, which almost half of happen to be Latin American. So the balance we must strike is meeting the needs of the masses while meeting the needs of the few. Sounds like America to me.
KLA: While statements from local officials and politicians came in, President Biden asked for Martinez’s resignation on Tuesday.
T: “Why is Joe Biden, who I respect in other areas, calling on her to step down from the opposite side of the continent? That because it’s LA it’s all frufru & not “tough” like Scranton, Pennsylvania or Gd forbid Delaware?” (https://tamiruth.weebly.com)
Martinez is one of only four women on a 15 member city council. Imagine as a short Latina woman the sexism and racism she had to deal with on the daily.
KLA: After initially stepping down only from her position as council president, and later announcing a leave of absence, Martinez finally resigned from her seat on Wednesday with a statement that lacked any acknowledgement of the corruption and racism demonstrated in the audio.
T: https://laist.com/news/politics/public-outrage-prompts-la-city-council-to-adjourn-tuesdays-session
A breakdown of Nury Martinez’s resignation letter.
“It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home…
… Over the last 9 years, I’ve had the honor of working with communities across Los Angeles to fight for policies that uplift working families. For the families who can’t make it out of poverty, struggling every day, you are the reason why I get up in the morning and do what I do.
To represent and fight for the people who don’t have a voice.
To the workers, the housekeepers, the nannies, to the people who get up to ride the bus to work in the morning. You have been the backbone of our city throughout this pandemic, but you were the backbone long before. I went to work for you. You have been my mission and my guiding principle…
… We launched the largest renter’s relief program in the nation, brought equity in our city’s budget, created tenant protections, pushed for equality for women in the workplace, worked to phase out of oil, created a new department around families and community investment, created the largest guaranteed basic income program in the country, launched a new homeowner program, fought for human trafficking victims, and so much more. …
… we distributed thousands of boxes at our monthly food and diaper giveaways, rented out laundromats for families in need and led the way in building housing for our homeless neighbors in the Valley.
To my constituents
- Serving you has been a privilege and one that I don’t give up lightly.
You are my neighbors, my friends, and the reason for this service.
Throughout these 9 years, we’ve been able to work together to fix our parks, our streets, our sidewalks, and improve the overall quality of life for our neighborhoods.
I hope you stay engaged and continue to fight for your fair share of the city’s resources. It’s hard to say goodbye, but please know that I was in this fight for you…
“…To my daughter, I know I have fallen short recently of the expectations we have for our family. I vow to you that I will strive to be a better woman to make you proud…”
KLA: Her vacancy will likely trigger a special election next year.
Ron Herrera of the LA County Federation of Labor resigned from his position as president of the powerful organization. In a statement released on Tuesday, the LA Fed declared that the leaked tape was part of a security breach of multiple offices at their organization. Prior to that, on Sunday, lawyers for the LA Fed sent an email threatening the LA Times in an apparent attempt to prevent them from publishing information revealed in the audio.
While the audio trickled out, the reaction at large was one of unanimous outrage. Bonin and his husband Sean Arian issued a statement on Sunday condemning Martinez’s comments and calling for de León, Herrera, and Martinez to resign from their posts.
T: And what of the safety of the toddler you left others to watch Bonin? Take it on the chin and be a better parent!
KLA: Councilmember-elect Eunisses Hernandez, CD 13 candidate Hugo Soto-Martinez, and state Assemblymember Isaac Bryan — progressives of varying degrees who were discussed in the leaked audio — attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting and sat in the front row.
In an emotional speech, Bonin said he hoped his son would never have to read about the contents of the audio. “Man, I know the fire you feel when someone tries to destroy Black boy joy. Man, it’s a rage.” Bonin further spoke about being raised at a time when gay men were not allowed to have a family or kids.
T: Yes, raise your son any way you see fit if it’s in his best interests.
KLA: “It’s not my place to forgive the slurs and the treatment of the Oaxacan community…
T: They were referred to as tan feo in Spanish by Nury, not her proudest moment I am sure.
KLA: … or the AAPI community or the Jewish community,” Bonin said. “It’s not my place to forgive the coded comments against the gay community or forgive the overwhelming, casual, joyful, anti-Black racism of the entire conversation. It’s not my place to forgive the coordinated effort to disenfranchise all these communities and all these people.”
T: Was it “anti-black” or more a conversation of matching Los Angeles populations of 48.1% Latin Americans with services that are unique to and benefit their particular circumstances?
KLA: Councilmember O’Farrell presided over the Tuesday session as City Council president pro tem. Facing protesters demanding the resignations of De León and Cedillo, and flanked by police officers with riot gear, he threatened to clear the hall of protesters in order to continue the meeting.
On the bulletin board in City Council, there was a resolution posted. It was introduced by Bonin and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson and called for the resignation of the councilmembers on the recording.
Councilmember O’Farrell announced at the Tuesday meeting that the election of a new City Council president would occur on October 18.
At a press conference later that day, O’Farrell said that he’d spoken to Councilmember Cedillo at length about resigning, and that he believes Cedillo is coming closer to that decision. He added that he was not able to speak to de León but expects two more resignations.
Councilmembers O’Farrell, Paul Krekorian, Paul Koretz, Curren Price, and Bob Blumenfield also held a press conference. Krekorian downplayed Cedillo’s role on the tapes, arguing that he had only stood by while other councilmembers made racist comments. However, the audio reveals Cedillo offering his own disparaging remarks about people from Oaxaca and Armenia.
T: And they win and they are down to all men. Thanks Hugo Soto-Martinez! Who have you helped house, get off the street? Helped stop being human trafficked? Found jobs for even if the person hasn’t made union status yet?
KLA: On Wednesday, Councilmember O’Farrell announced a motion to initiate the process of placing a charter reform measure on the 2024 ballot to expand the number of City Council seats to reflect population growth.
Since 1924, City Council has only had 15 seats, even as the city’s population has grown to nearly 4 million.
Each seat now represents around 265,000 people.
T: How can one elected council person be expected to represent over a quarter of a million constituents?
KLA: Historically, local elections have low turnout. For example, O’Farrell won his last election, in 2017, with about 17,000 votes
The motion was not submitted for a vote, as protesters have so far succeeded in blocking city business from continuing until all three councilmembers have resigned. After speaking with protesters, Councilmember Harris-Dawson left the meeting, breaking quorum, and the meeting was adjourned. Harris-Dawson later said that this was unintentional, and that O’Farrell ended the meeting before Harris-Dawson intended to return.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday that he is launching an independent investigation into LA’s redistricting process.
Councilmember Harris-Dawson told Knock LA that the meeting would be investigated as a potential Brown Act violation. The Brown Act requires transparency, including a public hearing for any and all city business.
Friday’s meeting has been canceled by O’Farrell, with Bonin, O’Farrell, and Councilmember-elect Eunisses Hernandez issuing statements that council business should not proceed until Cedillo and de León resign.
Though they have not yet been voted on, there are also motions drafted to remove de León, and Cedillo, from all leadership positions on their respective committees.
Raman, who was quick to demand the resignations of the officials recorded on the tape, also drafted a motion to form an ad hoc committee on city governance reform. The committee would explore reforming municipal lobbying rules, establishing an independent redistricting committee, and removing councilmembers’ direct power over land use decisions in their districts.
T: Who Recorded and Released the Audio?
“Soto-Martinez, 39, is a longtime activist and labor union organizer from South L.A. currently running for the City Council seat that represents Hollywood, which is currently occupied by Mitch O’Farrell.
As a veteran leader of the powerful L.A. hotel workers union, Unite-HERE, Local 11, and an active participant in the L.A. County Federation of Labor, Soto-Martinez sat on the Fed’s board tasked with vetting candidates for union endorsements and grew friendly with Herrera when the latter was sworn in as president in October 2019.” (https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/is-hugo-soto-martinez-the-man-who-sprung-the-city-hall-leaks/)
“To unravel a mystery of how a secret recording gets out,” said a lawyer who has worked on public corruption cases, “start by asking who stands to benefit the most from its release.”
“No relation” to Nury Martinez, LOL?
In the post that originally appeared on Reddit, the author mentions now-former City Council President Nury Martinez, noting there is “no relation, lol.”
“Wow, you know it happens, but when you actually hear it, it’s unbelievable,” the statement reads. “The labor movement is in bed with City Hall. All you have to do is look close and listen to the recording I just received of LA Fed President Ron Herrera and Nury Martinez (no relation, lol).”
This seems to suggest that the leaker is also named Martinez. And there are not a ton of people named Martinez at City Hall who have the means, motive, and opportunity to pull this off. Ultimately, political sleuths have set their sights on Soto-Martinez, the front-runner in the race to represent the district that includes Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Hollywood.
T: So the meeting was held in a hotel, and Soto-Martinez represents workers who are in the hotel unions, so someone like that planted a recording device?
KLA: In the motion, Raman writes that the recordings “have provided the public a window into a redistricting process stained by self-interested political gerrymandering and backroom deals.”
T: Interesting to contemplate power players and politicians not having backroom deals.
KLA: Raman told Knock LA you shouldn’t need to have certain assets in your district in order to be a successful councilmember. “One of the reasons why I feel like people may want those assets in the district is to exert control over them in terms of land use decision making, and then potentially fund campaign donations.”
T: Then how do you generate income, jobs, and money for public programs and public utilities newcomer?
KLA: Assets that council districts fight over in the redistricting process include valuable institutions that bring money to districts — airports, universities, infrastructure, developments — and key voting blocs that could change a councilmember’s voting electorate.
Raman says the council needs to create a system that doesn’t make it a “competition” for assets across the city between council districts, and that development projects are currently structured to benefit only one district. “If you negotiate with a developer, what are they going to give you in return for that construction… I think a clear set of rules for people that want to build in the city would reduce opportunities for corruption and extraction.”
T: Is it not the politicians job to bargain for jobs for their constituents?
KLA: Councilmember Krekorian agrees, and tells Knock LA that the council’s discretion over land use “is at the heart of a lot of the risk of corruption,” and that reform will help it expedite the development of more housing.
Raman also stresses the importance of lobbying reform, and particularly identifying lobbyists who present at meetings. “It’s really important to identify who’s a paid lobbyist, and who’s a genuine member of that community who feels a certain way about that project.”
It’s unclear at this point what impact the recordings will have on future policy, and what the future of City Council looks like. We asked Krekorian if the council would revisit policy decisions made while Martinez, Cedillo, and de León were on council, and he said that that council is “responding to the moment right now… but that may be something we want to look at, particularly around redistricting, but perhaps around other issues as well.”
The recordings hit hard because they laid bare what many Angelenos already assumed about elected officials in LA — that many of them are driven by empty greed, and more interested in extracting resources from the people they represent than in assisting them in their daily lives. The incendiary and racist comments from these powerful political actors clearly reflect their worldviews, which then influence their policies. Those policies must be examined closely for years to come.
T: Negotiating to bring in jobs for constituents, beds for mentally health impaired and homeless, programs to beautify poor peoples’ neighborhoods, does not sound like political greed to me.
It sounds like politicians negotiating for both the majority of their and the cities constituents, and politicking to keep fighting the good fight.
The xenophobia presented is an unfortunate biproduct of empathy- fatigue.
I hope what is focused on is all the good the council members did, and we finding ways to move forward with the positive programs, bills, and initiatives those former council members helped create and generate.
I am heartbroken for Nury.