Editorial: Five reasons to sign the Kevin de León recall petition

It’s been two months since Kevin de León was among the Los Angeles City Council members caught on a leaked audio recording making racist, divisive comments about colleagues and constituents while scheming to manipulate redistricting to benefit themselves and their allies.

The audio rocked L.A. In a city that prides itself on its diversity and liberal politics, it was shocking to hear City Hall power brokers casually tossing out hate-filled commentary behind closed doors. They showed disrespect to communities they were supposed to serve and spoke with contempt for anyone who might challenge them or have different ideas.

The condemnation was swift and unrelenting, with everyone from neighborhood activists to President Biden calling for the council members’ resignations. Former Council President Nury Martinez stepped down within days. Councilmember Gil Cedillo left this month after he lost his reelection bid in June.

De León has said he will not step down and remains in office, ostensibly trying to make amends but really just holding onto power as long as possible. His apology tour has been most unconvincing. It’s hard to take De León seriously when he makes excuses for and tries to minimize his part in an ugly conversation, including saying that when he compared his colleague’s Black son to a prop carried like a Louis Vuitton handbag, he was actually criticizing Martinez’s “penchant for luxury handbags.”

He’s been officially censured by the council, stripped of his committee assignments and dogged by protesters. His council colleagues don’t want to work with him, and community groups have looked for ways to get their city business handled without going through his office.

His appearance at two recent council meetings led to chaos, with activists yelling for his resignation and council members walking out, which stopped one meeting for more an hour while De León sat in the chambers. There’s little more city leaders can do; they can’t force De León to resign, and they can’t suspend him. That’s only allowed when elected officials have been charged with a crime related to their official duties. He has two years left in his term.

The next option? A recall. The City Clerk has approved a recall petition launched by constituents. They have to collect 20,437 signatures from registered voters of the 14th Council District by March 31. So, if you’re a voter in De León’s district, which stretches from downtown to Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno and Eagle Rock, here are few reasons to find and sign the petition to put the recall on the ballot.

He won’t resign. In the first days after the leaked audio, there was hope De León would recognize that he’d broken the public trust, that his self-serving apologies were not helping, and that stepping down would help the city heal. By now, it’s apparent that’s not going to happen.

He is no longer an effective public servant. A good council member has open communication with the community and the ability to collaborate across diverse groups for policies and projects. Now constituents are left with a hobbled elected representative who lost all goodwill and influence in city, state and federal government and cannot serve them well.

Constituents need a way to make their voices heard. De León has argued that the protesters tailing him are a tiny group and that he has community support to stay in office. A recall petition will test that assertion by giving residents a formal way to register their desire for a new council member.

A qualified recall would send a powerful message. It’s very difficult to put a recall measure on the ballot, which is why most of the previous efforts to recall Los Angeles-area politicians — even funded, organized campaigns — have failed. For De León, the 20,437 signatures that organizers need to collect represents 15% of the total number of registered voters in the 14th Council District.

That’s roughly 38% of all the voters who cast ballots in the 2020 City Council race when De León won the seat.

It’s a high bar, and if organizers reach it that would speak volumes about community opposition to De León remaining in office. It would also force De León to campaign again. He’d have to line up supporters, find a consultant and team willing to work with him, and raise money from donors, although he could tap the $3.1 million in his “De León for Lieutenant Governor 2026” campaign fund, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission. (So much for sticking around to serve the district.)

A recall provides a resolution. Council District 14 and the City Council remain in a state of limbo. A recall would put an end date to the uncertainty and instability, and — perhaps — bring a close to this ugly chapter of Los Angeles history.

Recalls are an important feature of California's direct democracy system. It's a powerful tool best reserved for extreme cases, not because organizers don't like someone's policies or politics, which is why this page has opposed recent recall efforts against Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón. But De León is the extreme case — an elected official caught making racist comments, scheming for power and now putting his self-preservation above public service. So, Council District 14 voters, do Angelenos a favor and sign the recall petition.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.