By The Vanguard Staff
LOS ANGELES, CA – An independent investigation into the City of Los Angeles city council redistricting process—amid revelations of leaked audio revealing “racist” remarks by council members—was announced Wednesday by
California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The probe, according to a statement released by Bonta, will investigate the city’s 2021 redistricting efforts, and “will seek to determine whether there were any violations of state or federal voting rights laws and transparency laws, consistent with the Attorney General’s authority under the California Government Code and the California Constitution.”
Attorney General Bonta said, “As a father and human being, I am deeply appalled by the remarks made by some of Los Angeles’ highest-ranking officials. Their comments were unacceptable, offensive, and deeply painful. There is no place for anti-Black, antisemitic, anti-Indigenous, anti-LGBTQ, or any kind of discriminatory rhetoric in our state, especially in relation to the duties of a public official.”
He added, “As Attorney General, I am committed to doing my part to ensure the rights of the people of California are protected. The decennial redistricting process is foundational for our democracy and for the ability of our communities to make their voices heard—and it must be above reproach.”
The CA AG argued, “The leaked audio has cast doubt on a cornerstone of our political processes for Los Angeles. Given these unique circumstances, my office will investigate to gather the facts, work to determine the truth, and take action, as necessary, to ensure the fair application of our laws. We will endeavor to bring the truth to light as part of the sorely-needed work to restore confidence in the redistricting process for the people of our state.”
His office noted, “Under the California Constitution and Government Code, the Attorney General has broad authority to investigate any potential violations of the law and ensure the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced. At this stage, the investigation will be conducted by the California Department of Justice’s Racial Justice Bureau within the Civil Rights Enforcement Section.
“During the course of the investigation, state attorneys will work diligently to consider all relevant information related to the city’s 2021 redistricting process and adopted map. However, it is important to note that the Office of the Attorney General has made no determination at this time with regard to specific complaints or allegations related to the conduct of those involved in the city’s redistricting process. The California Department of Justice is committed to conducting a thorough and independent investigation.”
