Kevin de León. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for California Globe)
Why Haven’t LA Councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo Resigned?
The Globe looks into why neither Councilman has resigned yet
By Evan Symon, October 14, 2022 2:30 am
LA City Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo continue to resist the overwhelming calls to resign on Thursday, despite pressure coming everywhere – from local citizens to President Joe Biden, amid the ongoing racist recording scandal that has put the City of Los Angeles in a gridlock since Sunday.
While the two on the audio recording have since resigned – Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, and former LA City Council President Nury Martinez resigning in full on Wednesday – de León and Cedillo remain in office as of Thursday night. To many Angelinos and Californians, the question is why? As their political futures are pretty much done according to many, at least for the foreseeable future, with even their base support now asking them to leave office, why wait?
While de León has not been seen since leaving a chaotic City Council meeting on Tuesday, Acting City Council President Mitch O’ Farrell has said he has been in contact with Cedillo, who has been said to be coming closer to coming to a decision regarding resigning.
“Mr. Cedillo and I had a long, very frank conversation yesterday, and he is taking the gravity of the moment into consideration,” said O’Farrell at a press conference early on Thursday. “I sense that he is making some progress toward that decision. Many of us are doing our best to get ahold of Mr. De León, who I haven’t spoken to since Tuesday.”
LA awaits resignations
But commenters noted on Thursday that both have reasons for dragging it out this far.
“First of all, for Cedillo, he is already on his way out regardless,” explained Maria Costa, a Los Angeles pollster who focuses on Latino communities, to the Globe on Thursday. “He already lost reelection and is pretty much a sitting duck until the new elected Council comes in in December. His plan is to likely just hold on for the next few months and get out without resigning. A caretaker for the seat would only be in for a few months too. Doesn’t excuse what was all said at the meeting though, and many would rather just have someone come in for a few months than have him stay on the seat. But compared to de León, he at least has some sort of plan to wait out resigning.”
“As for de León, few know what he is thinking. He’s probably looking for the most graceful way out at this point, maybe transitioning into another position somewhere, but after what he said, that is not happening. He and Martinez were in line to be the next generation of Latino leaders in the city, and they just ended that. Martinez and de León both had eyes on higher office, and de León would have probably been Bass’ main opponent in the Mayoral race this year if Caruso hadn’t had jumped in. Both wanted his endorsement due to his sway with the Latino community, but all that ended Sunday.”
“He’s staying out of the public eye now though, so he is definitely planning something. If he does resign, it will probably be during the weekend when news slows down a bit. Historically, bad political news is usually dropped on Friday to stay out of the public eye during the long weekend, so we’ll see there.”
“Marco,” a City Hall staffer, also said, “They’re staying away right now. There are rumors about, but the general consensus right now is that they can’t really stay. One of my co-workers, she’s super into Latino issues and had pictures of all the Latino Council members on the side of her desk along with Cesar Chavez and people like that. Those are gone. That should give you the sense of how everyone is feeling right now here.”
As of Thursday night, neither de León or Cedillo has tenured his resignation from the council.
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Because they’re entitled a-holes…. and stupid, too…
LA Democrats have controlled LA for years and they’ve destroyed the once great city of LA with their radical leftist policies. They all need to resign in shame?
This is just more proof that Democrats, who love to call every conservative racists in public, will in private are absolute racists to the core. I just don’t understand how anyone can make such horrible racist comments about this innocent little boy. I am sickened by this.
I hope this boy knows there are many, many people, especially conservatives, who will see him as a human being who deserves respect.
The racist nonsense spouted by the disgraced members of the Los Angeles City Council is rightly condemned, but people need to be careful not to lionize Mr. Bonin. He is a far left radical who most certainly does not represent the good people of Los Angeles. Look at every issue and you will find him opposed to all of the lessons we have learned over the centuries. Where and when has cutting police forces reduced crime? He wants to raise minimum wages, perhaps good for those who have increased pay, but completely ignoring those who are never hired or who are laid-off (so their pay stays at, or goes to, zero). Los Angeles, as with many large cities, has ignored the lessons of history and suffered the consequences, not much different than some fool “trying” heroin. None of the leftist stuff has worked at any time and in any place it has every been tried. Votes would be wise to sweep away the Democrats and elect good common sense moderates (typical Republicans).
You’re absolutely right about Mike “Meth” Bonin. He has been a TERRIBLE councilman and single-handedly destroyed his district, which included Venice Beach and other once-livable westside areas, including the town where I grew up, which is a shell of its former self now. And he was poised to do more destruction. There was an effort to recall him, and with good reason, but oddly signatures just barely missed the mark. He realized then that he would never be re-elected again, so he announced he would be leaving at the end of his term. So he will be gone soon, thank goodness. Good riddance. Those in his council district should definitely Vote for TRACY PARKE over the other candidate, who might end up being worse than Bonin. But sensible voters there probably already know this already.
“As of Thursday night, neither de León or Cedillo has tenured his resignation from the council.” The use of “tenured” in this sentence is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Based upon the context of the sentence, the word should be “tendered”. Which is the same as “neither has offered his resignation.”