LA City Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo removed from committee assignments

Acting Los Angeles City Council President Mitch O'Farrell says he has removed Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo from their committee assignments.

In a news conference Monday morning, O'Farrell said there is no news on whether either of the councilmen will resign their seats over their participation in a racially charged, recorded conversation from October 2021 that has already led to the resignation of Nury Martinez from her council seat. 

O'Farrell says he hasn't spoken to Councilman Kevin de León since last Tuesday "despite my best efforts," but he is urging him again Monday to resign, and has passed along the message that he should not attend any future council meetings. 

Councilman Gil Cedillo will not be attending Tuesday's virtual meeting, O'Farrell added.

De León and Cedillo were involved in a recorded conversation that included racist comments that led to Nury Martinez resigning from her council seat. De León and Cedillo have been under mounting pressure to resign since the release of the tape more than a week ago.

De León chairs the Homelessness and Poverty Committee, and Cedillo chairs the Housing Committee. Each council member must be appointed to at least one committee, and O'Farrell said he was working out the details.

"What I have to do is make sure that this council is not held hostage because two additional members refuse to resign," O'Farrell said at a news briefing Monday at City Hall.