MEDIA WINNER: CNN's Kate Bolduan
CNN’s Kate Bolduan made sure to confront Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin De Leon on the various controversies he faces during an interview on Tuesday. Bolduan largely focused on the physical altercation De Leon had with an activist at a recent holiday event. The incident occurred as local activists were protesting another controversy of De Leon's: his participation in a meeting where he and his fellow city council members made racially-charged, disparaging comments about their colleague’s adopted son. Bolduan noted that everyone else involved in the scandal has either resigned or made plans to leave office. “Why are you not resigning?” Bolduan asked De Leon, point blank. “I know you say you still have work to do. But other members, the points that the councilmembers are making still today about this whole thing is that they say that the city cannot heal if you are still there. And one member saying that you’re continued presence on the council is causing severe and ongoing harm.” De Leon said he would let voters decide if he should stay in office -- “not folks who are in the peanut gallery or political pundits or even my own colleagues.” He also stressed that he was sorry about his involvement in the scandal, prompting Bolduan to highlight that he "compared the young Black child of a fellow councilman to being an accessory, like a luxury handbag.”
Bolduan kept going, playing the audio of De Leon’s remarks before asking him to specify what he was apologizing for. “If this was anyone else,” said Bolduan, “would you say the person I just described is serving their community well?" |