City Council officially appoints Heather Hutt as interim 10th District councilmember

The Los Angeles City Council officially appointed Heather Hutt to serve the vacant councilmember seat for the 10th District of Los Angeles.

Hutt will fill the open seat left by suspended councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was indicted on federal corruption chargers last October.

Unless Ridley-Thomas is acquitted or the charges against him in his federal corruption case are dismissed, or unless the vacancy becomes permanent, Hutt will serve as Hutt's . The council voted 12-2 to appoint Hutt, with council members Monica Rodriguez and Mike Bonin dissenting.

However, in the days leading up to Friday, the LA City Council was split on appointing Hutt.

She is the first woman to represent the district and the first woman to represent South Los Angeles in a decade. She also becomes the fourth woman on the 15-member council, and just the third Black councilwoman in the city's history.

"This is a historic occasion,'' Hutt said after being confirmed. "I'm honored and I'm humbled to be in this space. As the first woman to represent CD 10 -- although temporarily -- and the first Black woman, I just want to put everybody on notice, I won't be the last.''