Fil-Am, incumbent square off in contentious LA City Council race

Ysabel Jurado and Kevin de León / CONTRIBUTED

LOS ANGELES – On Election Day, voters in the 14th City Council District settled the tumultuous, high-profile contest between incumbent Kevin de León and progressive Filipino American challenger Ysabel Jurado, who are vying to represent downtown and northeast LA neighborhoods.

In the March primary, tenant-rights attorney Jurado received 24.52 percent of the vote, claiming first place in a field of eight candidates. De León trailed with 23.39 percent, according to figures from the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

With neither candidate receiving more than 50 percent of the votes, the top two finishers moved to a runoff  Tuesday.

Their Election Day showdown takes place two years after a leaked 2021 recording captured de León participating in a conversation with two other now-former council members and a now-former union leader, during which crude and racist language was used. It sparked a scandal in which multiple officials, all the way up to President Joe Biden, called for de León to resign.

Meanwhile, Jurado was recently recorded uttering her own controversial statement — answering  “F—  the police” when asked at an Oct. 17 meet-and-greet at Cal State L.A. about her position on abolishing the police. The question came from a student who is also a de León staff member.

De León — whose campaign did not respond to requests from City News Service for the candidate to be interviewed for this article — has also survived four recall attempts.

In the secretly recorded meeting, de León, former Councilman Gil Cedillo, former Council President Nury Martinez and former Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera were heard discussing ways to expand Latino/Hispanic influence by manipulating the redistricting process.

In the tapes, de León compared then-Councilman Mike Bonin’s handling of his son at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade to “when Nury brings her little yard bag or the Louis Vuitton bag.” He did not interject as Martinez belittled Bonin, who is white and openly gay; she also called Bonin’s child, who is Black, “ese changuito” — Spanish for “that little monkey.”

In addition, Martinez said of L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón: “F—that guy. … He’s with the Blacks.”

De León has apologized multiple times for his participation in the conversation — including telling the Los Angeles Times last year that he should have “shut that meeting down.” And since the leak, he has remained on the council while working to rehabilitate his image.

He has opened new parks and held food distribution events in his district; spearheaded initiatives to address public safety; provided funds to the LAPD for more foot patrols around business corridors in Eagle Rock and other neighborhoods; and led an initiative to crack down on copper wire theft.

In addition, he’s championed safety measures along dangerous intersections and streets in Boyle Heights and other areas; and advanced more affordable housing, including working with Mayor Karen Bass on Inside Safe operations to reduce encampments.

Jurado, meanwhile, said she was quoting a rap lyric with her “F— the police” remark, and has since then defended the comments, despite criticism from the LAPD union, Interim Chief Dominic Choi, police officers and some other City Council members. She has also expressed her commitment to public safety.

She also indicated that her comment was not on the level of the de León recording, calling the latter “disgraceful.”

“L.A. thrives off its diversity and the greatness thereof,” Jurado said. “[The tape] was awful. That’s not who we are, this campaign and the city of L.A.”

Jurado told CNS that she entered this race to “change the history of corruption” at City Hall — citing the controversies surrounding former Councilman José Huizar (convicted and now imprisoned for accepting bribes from developers and cheating on his taxes) and de León.

“This district has been used and abused, and we have total mistrust,” Jurado told CNS. “People are asking for honest, accountable, responsive City Council members, and that’s the bare minimum.”

On other matters, Jurado — a lifelong resident of Highland Park, first-time candidate and single mother to a 14-year-old daughter — said she would concentrate on ensuring residents receive their fair share of city services; and work to reduce homelessness, with a focus on Skid Row, the epicenter of the crisis.

She also emphasized working with homeless service providers, community organizations and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the 2nd District, which encompasses Skid Row and CD14  neighborhoods.

In addition, Jurado has expressed concern over the city’s anti-camping law and sweeps, noting that these policies can make it more challenging to place unhoused residents in interim or permanent housing.

She said she would focus on public safety through a multi-layered approach; has discussed concerns regarding street lighting and maintenance; and how police officers are overburdened with calls for service that could be handled by unarmed response teams.

District 14 includes downtown L.A., Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno and Northeast L.A. (With CNS report)