With Jurado victory, L.A.'s audio leak scandal takes down another Latino politician

In the secretly recorded conversation that upended his political career, Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León kept returning to a familiar theme: preserving and expanding Latino political power.

De León was captured on the recording saying he wanted to make sure his Eastside district “remains Latino” even after he’s gone. He bemoaned the lack of political clout wielded by Latinos in L.A., especially when compared with the Black community.

Now, De León has lost his seat, largely because of the scandal over the recording, which featured crude and racist remarks. His defeat in Tuesday’s election after a single four-year term will leave Latinos occupying just four of the council’s 15 seats — at a time when they make up about half of the city’s population.

Tenant rights attorney Ysabel Jurado declared victory over De León on Thursday, after the latest vote count showed her widening her double-digit lead in a district stretching from downtown to Eagle Rock. She will be the first Filipino American to serve on the City Council.


https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-07/kevin-de-leon-defeat-would-leave-the-city-council-with-fewer-latino-seats