Bittersweet Dem Phonies

On the one-year anniversary of the Fed Tapes, Scott, Alissa, and Rachel discuss the legacy of the shocking scandal — including two new lawsuits, proposals for charter reform, and how the participants are working hard to rehabilitate themselves in public. And ethics charges are finally filed against yet another councilmember, John Lee, also known as “City Staffer B.”

Revisit our emergency episode from one year ago

“I can still hear Nury’s poisonous slurs and cruel laugh, and Kevin’s conspiratorial whisper and malicious tone.” Former Councilmember Mike Bonin reflects on what he hears one year later

Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo file lawsuits that claim they said nothing wrong on the recording but yet somehow it also ruined their reputations

Tavis Smiley hosted an excellent 2-hour special which aired after we recorded (Part 1, Part 2)

The third episode of LAist’s “Nury & the Secret Tapes” podcast airs this week

Alissa’s Report Forward piece on the state of governance reform, including independent redistricting and council expansion

From 2021, Scott on the case against John Lee, “a co-conspirator on City Council”