A candidate for Los Angeles mayor is chafing at being described as a white male.
Mayoral candidates Rick Caruso, a Democrat, and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) faced off in a debate this week.
Debate moderator Dunia Elvir stated, “The next mayor of Los Angeles will be either an African-American woman or a white man.”
“I’m Italian,” Caruso interjected.
Elvir responded, “Italian-American.
“Thank you. That’s Latin,” Caruso said.
Watch the video below:
“The next mayor of Los Angeles will be either an African-American woman or a white man.”
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 12, 2022
Rick Caruso: “…I’m Italian. That’s Latin, thank you.” pic.twitter.com/PMSImugONP
Caruso’s comments come as the Los Angeles city council president announced she will take a leave of absence after a recording was released in which she was heard making racist comments.
A recording of a 2021 conversation between Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez, Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, and L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera was brought to light by The Los Angeles Times earlier this week.
Martinez was heard criticizing the way Councilmember Mike Bonin parented his Black son.
She claimed Bonin’s son was an “accessory.”
The Times also reported Martinez suggested Bonin’s son was “misbehaving on the float and might have tipped over the float if she and the other women on the float didn’t step in to ‘parent this kid.’”
“They’re raising him like a little White kid,” she added.
Martinez also suggested the “kid needs a beatdown.”
She added, “Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back.”
Martinez resigned her position as council president and announced she would take a leave of absence from the council after the recording was made public.