Gov. Newsom calls on L.A. City Councilmen De León and Cedillo to resign over racist audio leak
The governor has called the controversial audio recording a “disturbing and shameful distraction from important issues of concern to the people of Los Angeles.”
“I expect City Councilman Paul Koretz (D-Monument) and Councilman Eric Garcetti (D-Los Angeles) to step aside as soon as possible,” Newsom said in a written statement. Koretz has yet to issue a statement about the recording following an interview with the Councilman on Monday.
“If the audio recording is true, that shows that the council is not fit to serve the people of Los Angeles, I call on the council to resign immediately,” Newsom’s statement continues.
The governor has been the target of a number of racist assaults from supporters of the controversial podcast, Unhinged with Alex Jones. The hosts have since issued a statement following the recording that said the audio was “accurate” while denying that the host, Alex Jones, was responsible for the original recording.
“The audio is accurate and was captured by one of our employees, and we stand by the claim that the audio was captured by our own employee,” the statement read.
“This is nothing more than a cynical effort to discredit one of our staff. We are, of course, very interested in what our employees have to say, but this audio is inaccurate,” Jones added.
The governor’s statement follows his call for Koretz to resign in early June of last year following a racist attack from his supporters. The councilman was arrested with two fellow council members after recording and then spreading a doctored video of Jones’ racist rant against CNN.
After the tape came to light, the L.A. Times reported that several elected officials, including Council President Herb Wesson and Councilman Ed Reyes, spoke out against the recording.