LA city council candidate says "F--- the police" in leaked audio from Cal State LA event

Ysabel Jurado, who is running to unseat Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León, has sparked controversy with a comment she made while speaking with Cal State LA students last week.

In leaked audio obtained and first reported by the Westside Current, Jurado, a tenants' rights attorney, said as she discussed spending on the city's police force: "What's the rap verse? F— the police, that's how I see 'em." She was answering a question from someone who had described themselves as "pro-abolishment of police" and asked her about her stance, the Current reported.

Jurado admitted to making the comment, saying she did so during a meeting with students at Cal State LA and was repeating a song lyric. It appears to be a reference to the 1988 N.W.A. song, "F— Tha Police," in which the Compton-based rap group touches on issues of racial profiling and police brutality. 

"In a meeting with students at Cal State LA, I quoted a lyric from a song that's been part of a larger conversation on systemic injustice and police accountability for decades," Jurado said in a statement to KCAL News. "But it was just a lyric — and I'm proud to be accessible to young people and students, listening to their concerns and treating them like the future leaders they are..."

It remains to be seen how the controversy will affect her performance in the November election. In Boyle Heights, business owner Guillermo Pinon said there's plenty of issues, particularly in regards to local crime, which make the race for Council District 14 a crucial election. 

"There's gunshots, there's graffiti, there's closed businesses," he said. "There's a lot of things that really, really need some change."

Pinon said there's been much excitement surrounding the race. And while he said he wishes she hadn't made the comment, Pinon said he still supports her since he thinks she will bring something different, and needed, to the area.

"I'm still going to support her for that change only because I don't see the change coming from where we're at right now," Pinon said. "But like I said, there is a conversation that I would like to have with her in regards to that and get some clarification."

Meanwhile, Jurado has drawn sharp criticism from the union representing thousands of LAPD officers, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, as well as from the interim LAPD chief himself.

"Hearing the words 'F— the Police,' is disappointing and diminishes the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the LAPD," Interim Chief Dominic Choi said in a statement. "This divisive language only serves to erode what should be a positive and collaborative relationship between the police and the people we serve."

"Every day the men and women of the LAPD put their lives on the line to keep the people of Los Angeles safe, and I wish more people valued their sacrifice," he said.

The union, meanwhile, said Jurado's words reflect a broader strategy of turning to what it described as "failed" policymaking measures that pull officers away from responding to crimes such as thefts and hate crimes.

"Ysabel Jurado revealed her true colors on how she views police officers who protect the residents of Los Angeles," LAPPL said in a statement. "She's made it clear that she will jeopardize public safety for failed social experiments by pulling police off of crimes like retail thefts, car thefts, smash-and-grab robberies, hate crimes, and more."

It remains unclear who made the recording but it's now a flashpoint in the race highlighting the two candidates' different approaches to local law enforcement. De León, who has been endorsed by LAPD as well as the union representing officers, condemned Jurado's statements. The labor group has donated more than $150,000 to his campaign, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

"Those types of phrases within the context of public elected office have no place in the city of Los Angeles," de León said.

For his part, de León has also been the target of controversy over a leaked audio recording. In fact, the 2021 conversation  involving then-LA City Council President Nury Martinez ultimately led to her resignation. They and two other people were making racist comments referencing the son of another fellow city leader. 

De León later said he regretted his comments and "appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made." Last week, the Los Angeles City Attorney declined to press charges in connection with the scandal.