LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León said in a television interview airing Wednesday night that he "will not resign," according to a partial transcript of the interview released by Noticiero Univision.
"I'm so sorry. I am extremely sorry, and that is why I apologize to all my people, to my entire community, for the damage caused by the painful words that were carried out that day last year," de León said in the interview with Noticiero Univision anchor León Krauze, according to the transcript. The interview was conducted at Univision 34's studio in Los Angeles.
"No, I will not resign, because there is a lot of work ahead," de León said, citing the homelessness crisis.
De Leon also said that he is "sorry for the damage, for the wounds that exist today in our communities."
His comments follow widespread calls for his resignation, including from President Joe Biden. Then-acting City Council President Mitch O'Farrell on Monday stripped de León and Councilmember Gil Cedillo of committee duties in an effort to pressure them to resign.
De León, the one-time leader of the California state Senate, took part in the October 2021 meeting with City Council President Nury Martinez, Cedillo, and Ron Herrera, the leader of the Los Angeles Labor Federation, to discuss the proposed redistricting maps of the city's 15 council districts and how to retain and expand Latino political power.
The conversation focused heavily on race, and at one point de León suggested that city Council member Mike Bonin used his Black son as a prop akin to a designer handbag.
Both Martinez and Herrera resigned last week.
De León, 55, has two years left in his City Council term to represent the 14th Council District, which includes downtown, Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock and other Westside neighborhoods.
