The conversation, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, included strategizing between Martinez, Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera over how to protect the three council members' districts and elect more Latinos to the council.
They expressed frustration with proposed maps from the city's 21- member redistricting commission, as the three council members discussed how they could create favorable districts for themselves while handing other colleagues unfavorable districts. Council districts are redrawn once every 10 years, and the council was discussing its options at the time.Latinos represent less than a third of the council districts despite making up half of the city's population.
In a statement Sunday, de León said the conversation was"wholly inappropriate; and I regret appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and his family in private." Later on, while the council members discussed a redistricting map that would be favorable to Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, Cedillo -- speaking to Martinez -- referred to O'Farrell as"your guy Mitch."
"Words that dehumanize are soul-destroying even when they are uttered from the mouths of friends, loved ones or colleagues," O'Farrell said. Raman is up for re-election in 2024. Martinez said it would serve them to not give Raman all of Koreatown because it would give Raman more renters in her district.
Martinez countered that doing so would impact her district in the San Fernando Valley, and"whether you like Mitch or not, impacts him."