California Attorney General Investigating LA Redistricting

California’s attorney general said Wednesday that he will investigate Los Angeles’ redistricting process as three of its City Council members face calls to resign after a recording surfaced of them using racist language to mock colleagues while they schemed to protect Latino political strength in council districts.

The move by Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat like the three council members, comes amid growing calls to address the way politics can still influence the redrawing of district maps after the census count each decade.

“My office will conduct an investigation into the city of LA’s redistricting process,” Bonta said, without providing many details. “We’re going to gather the facts, we’re going to work to determine the truth and take action as necessary to ensure the fair application of our laws.”

“It’s clear an investigation is sorely needed to help restore confidence in the redistricting process for the people of LA,” he added.

He said the results could potentially bring civil or criminal results.

“It could lead to criminality if that’s where the facts and the law dictate,” he said. “There’s certainly the potential for civil liability based on civil rights and voting rights laws here in the state of California.”

He said the process “is just starting and we don’t like to make conclusions first and get facts later.” The investigation will determine the outcome, he said, but he noted it could also lead to changes in policy at the state or local level.

Bonta spoke in Los Angeles while the council itself was trying to conduct business nearby despite the uproar triggered by a leaked recording of crude, racist comments from a nearly year-old meeting, which also provided an unvarnished look into City Hall’s racial rivalries. Those involved in the meeting were all Latinos, while Bonta is the first Filipino American to hold the top law enforcement job in the nation’s most populous state.

Three council members — former City Council President Nury Martinez, who is taking a leave of absence, and Councilmen Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo — are facing calls from President Joe Biden to resign after a recording surfaced of them participating in the closed-door meeting.