RE-COMMITTED: Kevin de León is back from Los Angeles City Council’s equivalent of a time-out. The council member was booted from committees in October 2022, after a leaked audio tapes controversy made him radioactive. Council President Paul Krekorian said at the time there was “no realistic possibility that you can effectively legislate as a member of this body.” This week, however, Krekorian reversed course, appointing de León to serve on four committees. Also receiving new assignments was Curren Price, another scandal-plagued council member who had voluntarily stepped down from committees after he was charged with embezzlement, perjury and corruption charges (of which he has maintained his innocence). Krekorian’s spokesperson, Hugh Esten, cited workload concerns when explaining the decision. “With only 13 members working full-time, some members have been serving on five or six committees,” Esten said. “Having two members of the Council sitting idle while collecting full pay is imposing an excessive workload on the other 13 and interfering with the work of the Council.” For de León, it’s a symbolic step back from his banishment to the political wilderness. The former state Senate leader has wagered that he could withstand the white-hot fury from the tapes — which captured, among other things, offensive conversation about a fellow councilmember’s adopted Black son. Indeed, time has taken the edge off. Angry protestors are no longer camping out in front of his house. His colleagues have backed motions he’s introduced. His office touts tangible accomplishments, including creating more than 2,000 beds that provide interim shelter for homeless people, opening 11 playgrounds and securing $150 million in grant money. And though his political career was once assumed obliterated, de León’s reelection hopes remain alive after he advanced from the March primary (besting two former state legislative colleagues, Assemblymembers Miguel Santiago and Wendy Carrillo). Not everyone is pleased with Krekorian’s decision to let de León (and Price) back into the committee fold. Rob Quan, an organizer with the ethics watchdog Unrig LA, told the LA Times that “there really don’t seem to be any standards on the council, or any type of consistency.” Ironically, the lack of committee assignments may have indirectly helped de León. Freed from some of the time-consuming duties in City Hall, he has thrown himself into retail politicking in the district. Now, he’ll have to divide that time with his posts on four panels dealing with housing and homelessness, transportation, trade and tourism, and energy and the environment. “I’m beyond confident that will not be an issue,” he told Playbook. “I’m proud to serve my community by serving on these important committees.” But he has some serious competition on the ground from Ysabel Jurado, a tenants' rights attorney whose robust door-knocking campaign landed her in first place in the primary — ahead of better-funded opponents. Jurado is among those unimpressed by de León’s normalization in City Hall. “The bottom line is, Kevin de León should have stepped down when his racist misconduct was exposed. Despite calls from the public and his own constituents, he refused to resign, leading to the censure that left District 14 without critical city services for months,” she said in a statement. “The fact alone that he is making headlines for being appointed to committees is absurd — this is a basic duty, not an accomplishment.” IT’S THURSDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to mmason@politico.com.
| 
