Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León is no longer the only District 14 candidate with a problematic audio leak under his belt. His challenger, Ysabel Jurado, was recorded at a recent meet-and-great with Cal State L.A. college students, saying “f*ck the police.”
Audio of the exchange was leaked to the Westside Current and can be heard here.
“As someone who is myself pro-abolishment of police, where do you stand on that spectrum?” a person in the audience had asked Jurado.
Jurado responded: “What’s the rap verse? F*ck the police, that’s how I see ‘em.”
Jurado’s comments were slammed by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which is already opposing her candidacy. De León also called them “disrespectful,” and reiterated his support for the city’s police officers.
Jurado — who would be voting on police budgeting if elected — defended her remarks in a statement Monday:
"In a meeting with students at Cal State LA, I quoted a lyric from a song that’s been part of a larger conversation on systemic injustice and police accountability for decades. But it was just a lyric — and I’m proud to be accessible to young people and students, listening to their concerns and treating them like the future leaders they are. That’s something my opponent has failed to do.My commitment to public safety remains as strong as ever."
De León is running for another term on the Council following his own leaked audio scandal. He was one of several people present at a 2021 meeting in which city leaders made racist comments and discussed gaming the redistricting system to hold onto power. That meeting and the subsequent audio leak led to the resignation of former Council President Nury Martinez. De León also faced calls to resign, but refused to step down.