CA, Los Angeles California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated on Wednesday that an independent investigation would be launched into the redistricting process for the City of Los Angeles after a leaked tape surfaced allegedly revealing “racist” remarks by council members.
In a statement, Bonta explained that the investigation would look into the city’s 2021 redistricting efforts and “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.”
As a father and a human being, I am very offended by the words expressed by some of Los Angeles’ highest-ranking politicians,” Attorney General Bonta stated.
Their words caused unimaginable hurt and hurtful words. Anti-Black, anti-Semitic, anti-Indigenous, anti-LGBTQ or any other form of discriminatory discourse has no place in our state, especially when it pertains to the responsibilities of a public office.
Furthermore, he said, “As Attorney General, I am dedicated to doing my bit to safeguard the rights of the people of California. In order for communities to have their opinions heard and for our democracy to function properly, the decennial redistricting process must be fair and transparent.
“The leaked tape has put suspicion on a cornerstone of our political procedures for Los Angeles,” the California attorney general claimed.
Since this is an unusual situation, my office will conduct an inquiry to collect evidence, attempt to establish the truth, and take appropriate action to protect the integrity of our legal system. As part of the urgently required efforts to rebuild public trust in the state’s redistricting process, we will make every effort to reveal the truth.
According to A Statement Released by His Office
The Attorney General has broad jurisdiction under the California Constitution and Government Code to investigate any suspected infractions of the law and ensure the laws of the state are uniformly and effectively enforced.”
Currently, the inquiry will be handled by the Racial Justice Bureau of the Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the California Department of Justice.
State attorneys have committed to do a thorough inquiry into the city’s 2021 redistricting process and adopted map. However, it should be noted that the Attorney General’s office has not yet reached a conclusion on any individual complaints or charges about the redistricting process in the city.
The California Department of Justice is dedicated to conducting a fair and impartial probe.