COUNCILWOMAN LINDSEY HORVATH RESPONDS TO LOS ANGELES’ CRISIS OF GOVERNANCE

Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath Calls for Transformational Change, Resignations in Response to Hateful, Racist Remarks and Actions by Los Angeles Leaders

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Councilwoman and Candidate for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Lindsey Horvath released the following statement in response to Los Angeles’ crisis of governance:

“I am shocked, angered, and deeply disappointed by the hateful and racist words we heard come from the mouths of Councilmembers Martinez, De Leon, and Cedillo and Labor Federation President Ron Herrera. I do not believe that these words are representative of who we are as a community, and I stand in solidarity with every individual and every community that has been affected by these hurtful words, including and especially Councilmember Mike Bonin and his family.

The resignations of all involved are imperative, but they are simply not enough. This moment demands more. The lack of trust and leadership in our community’s government is ripping us apart at a time when we need leaders who will truly listen, take action, and bring us together. We must meet this moment with the urgency it requires and with robust healing and reconciliation. The time to engage in meaningful work to build a new Los Angeles is right now.

The system needs to be unrigged. Yes, we want our leaders to be better. Yes, we want a more representative government. But no matter how hard we have tried, the powers that be have created a political system that protects corrupt and entrenched politicians and that does not allow for change. We must continue inviting new voices into our public discourse and undoing the toxic political culture that exists, while striving everyday to unrig and dismantle the system that has brought us to where we are today.

In addition to the resignations of all involved, I am calling for a political transformation in the City and County of Los Angeles. At this time of crisis, we need drastic political action to solve the upheaval of trusted, transparent governance.

There must be a fully independent investigation into the 2021 City of Los Angeles Redistricting Process by the State Attorney General’s Office. In addition to the City’s blatant attempts to “chop up in a blender” Councilwoman Raman’s Fourth District, there were serious concerns and allegations surrounding the fairness, backroom dealing, politics, and potentially illegal actions at play. Los Angeles City residents deserve a fair, trusted process, which is not possible when politics take over.

In addition, we must implement a fully independent redistricting commission at the city and county to ensure that every community, every candidate, every Councilmember, and every Board Member compete in fair districts, without political influence. The 2021 Redistricting Process at the County also raised concerns and questions, and showed the dire need for reform. Independent in name, this Commission lacked the accountability and transparency that voters expect from a process that is so important to our government’s power structures. There have been accusations, even, that this Commission was not truly independent, and in fact worked in such a way that would benefit my opponent in our race.

We must publicly finance our elections for City Hall, School Board, and the County Board of Supervisors to empower grassroots candidates that truly represent their communities, not entrenched politicians who are influenced by special interests and backroom dealings to only empower themselves.

We must expand the number of seats on both the City Council and County Board of Supervisors to bring more voices into our government. Representation in government is critical, and it should look, feel, and sound like Los Angeles and our diverse communities.

These changes are needed now. This is the time for action, and it is up to our leaders to meet the moment. We need policies and leaders that will bring our communities together. We need leaders who understand the politics and the needs of now, not last century. I took the extraordinary step to run for County Supervisor in large part to vanquish this broken system that has failed Angelenos for generations.

We desperately need change, and I’m prepared to deliver. Backroom dealings, cronyism, nepotism, and corruption are over. Political machines are dead. We need leaders who will put communities first, not their own careers. Then, and only then, can we begin to move Los Angeles forward and restore the trust that has been vested in us by the hard-working people we seek to serve.”