Where has Kevin de León been since the racist remark scandal?
Opponents of Los Angeles Councilman Kevin de León have gotten their wish, getting the approval to start gathering signatures to prompt a recall election.
"It's all for the recall effort," said former Boyle Heights Neighborhood Councilmember Alessandro Negrete.
For a recall election to happen, groups will need to collect 20,437 signatures by March 23, 2023. The gathering process cannot be done online. Participants must be registered voters in Council District 14 and must be in "good standing," according to the L.A. Clerk's Office.
De León has resisted calls to step down following leaks of a racist recording. Additionally, he hasn't attended a council meeting since Oct. 11 and his colleagues said he's not welcomed back.
According to the California Controller's Office, L.A. councilmembers make about $218,000 a year. Additionally, they receive a car, meals and travel expenses. If he serves through his two-year term, taxpayers will shell out about $568,000 in combined salary and benefits.
"That's the part that really infuriates a lot of our community members," said Negrete.
De León's spokesman said in a statement that he's "maintained an active and involved work schedule focusing on projects across his council district, including the development of homeless housing sites, transit improvements, as well as issues around public safety and infrastructure enhancements in Skid Row."
"He's not in any meetings," said Negrete. "He's not doing any of the work he said he's going to do. So, why should he be cashing a paycheck?"
Zev Yaroslavsky, a former L.A. County Board Supervisor and councilmember, said de León's focus should be on the meetings.
"The first and foremost responsibility of a councilmember — as a member of the governing body — is to attend the meetings," said Yaroslavsky.
De León handed out turkeys just before Thanksgiving and his Boyle Heights office is hosting a food distribution this Friday, part of what de León says is the work he continues to do outside council chambers.
