A disgraced Los Angeles city councilman who was caught up in a racism scandal and left President Joe Biden on read is running for re-election, NBC News reports.
Kevin de León was at the center of a triggering scandal in 2022 that prompted former Council President Nury Martinez to resign after a recording leaked of a private meeting between Martinez, de Leon, and two other Latino Democrats. Council members were heard using racist language and a plan to keep their political power at the expense of Black voters.
The incident prompted a number of African-American organizations, and Biden, to call for their resignations, de León e apologized repeatedly for his involvement in the meeting but refused to step down from his $230,000 a year position.
Now, said in a statement, de León said he’s ready to be re-elected. He claims he’s made “unprecedented strides” in his district, including parts of downtown Los Angeles. He has been focusing on solving the city’s homeless crisis and the revitalization of his district’s parks and public spaces.
In fact, de León says loyal voters will keep him in power.
“When a lot of people that I called my friends and allies turned away from me, my constituents had my back,” de León said, according to Politico. “I understood in a deeper way the relationship that I had with my community and how that motivates and drives me. That’s why I’m still here. And that’s why I’m running.”
The primary election is in March 2024 and other legislators who are looking to take his seat have continued to call on his resignation.
State Assemblyman Miguel Santiago released a statement, calling for his opponent not to run again.
“Enough is enough,” Santiago said. “While he has been consumed with scandal, he has failed his district. … The people want change.”
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