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John Lee (California politician)

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John Lee
Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 12th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 30, 2019
Preceded byGreig Smith
Personal details
Born (1970-06-29) June 29, 1970 (age 54)
Political partyRepublican (before 2020)
Independent (2020–present)
EducationCalifornia State University,
Northridge

John S. Lee[1] is an American politician, serving as a member of the Los Angeles City Council for the 12th district. Formerly a Republican, Lee is now an independent and is the only non-Democrat currently on the city council.[2]

Early life, education, and personal life

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Born in 1970, Lee is the son of South Korean immigrants.[3] He graduated from Granada Hills High School and attended California State University, Northridge but did not graduate.[4]

Lee lives in Porter Ranch, California with his wife Sheila and their two children.[5]

Career

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Prior to being elected as the Councilmember, Lee worked for City of Los Angeles for two decades, serving in various capacities. In his tenure he has worked for Councilmember Joel Wachs, Greig Smith, and [Mitch Englander].[6] Lee was a chief of staff for previous councilman Mitchell Englander. [Mitch Englander] pled guilty to federal charges related to the on-going Los Angeles City Hall corruption probe and began serving a 14-month sentence in federal prison in June, 2021. Lee joined David Ryu as the second Asian American on the council, being sworn in on August 30, 2019.[5]

Policies

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Public safety

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Lee has been one of the biggest supporters of the Los Angeles Police Department on the council. Lee has stated his opposition for defunding the LAPD, citing the department's many reformations throughout the last decade including de-escalation and implicit bias training. He officially rejected calls to defund the LAPD when he cast one of two votes in opposition of the City Council's decision to slash the department's budget.[7]

Homelessness

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Lee has advocated for Neighborhood Safety Teams that would increase the number of police patrols in business corridors, specifically dedicated to stopping crime stemming from homeless encampments. Lee has also advocated for the creation of a Housing Task Force to build housing that focuses on job training programs.[8]

Environment

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Lee has committed to supporting the California Clean Energy Commission's proposal to close down the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. In 2019, Lee proposed a resolution urging Governor Gavin Newsom to make good on the promise of shutting the facility down.[8]

Lee has also worked with LADWP and Electric Power Research Institute on a pilot program focused on sustainable farming located entirely within shipping containers. The container's initial yield will serve as a model for successful and sustainable farming in an urban environment.[9]

Transportation

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Lee supports allowing companies like Uber and Bird to provide e-scooters in his district; however, he stated that it should be limited and not encompass the entire district. He referenced California State University, Northridge as an example of an appropriate location for the scooters.[10]

Controversies

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Corruption allegations

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Lee accompanied Englander as his Chief of Staff along with José Huizar staffer George Esparza on the June 2017 Las Vegas trip that led to Englander's corruption charges and guilty plea.[11] Huizar and Esparza were both later charged with racketeering stemming from a related FBI investigation, to which Esparza pleaded guilty.[12][13] According to the indictment in the Englander case, a top Englander staffer referred to as "City Staffer B" was given some of the same perks as Englander.[12] Englander sent antedated checks for himself and the unnamed staffer to the businessmen who provided the perks after he was contacted by the FBI.[12] Lee has declined to state whether he is "City Staffer B" repeatedly and claimed that he did everything possible to reimburse expenses for the trip.[12] Multiple groups have called for John Lee's resignation on the assumption that he is the unnamed staffer.[11][14][15]

On October 2, 2023, Lee was charged with 10 counts by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission on October 2, 2023 for conduct related to his 2017 Vegas trip with his predecessor Mitch Englander.[16] Lee filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission in response to the charges against him.[17]

Sexual harassment lawsuit

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Lee was accused of sexual harassment and discrimination by a former aide in a 2013 lawsuit.[18] He denied the allegations.[19] Lee was dismissed as a defendant and the lawsuit was settled by the city for $75,000.[20]

Electoral history

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Election

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Lee declared his candidacy for the 2019 special election following the departure of the previous Councilmember. Lee's campaign immediately gained front runner status in a crowded field with 15 total candidates, bolstered by the support from over 100 community leaders and local officials.[21][22] Lee came in second place after the primary election and moved into the general election versus Loraine Lundquist. After a contentious campaign cycle, Lee won the seat and served out the remainder of the term.[23]

Special general election for Los Angeles City Council District 12, 2019[24]
Candidate Votes %
John Lee 16,724 52.1%
Loraine Lundquist 15,395 47.9%

Lee ran again in the primary election the following year to serve for a full 4-year term. In a rematch of the previous election, Lee once again won the seat, earning more votes than any candidate in Council District 12's history, as did his opponent, with only 801 votes separating them. As Lee won more than 50% of the vote, he was elected in the first round.

Primary election for Los Angeles City Council March 3, 2020[25]
Candidate Votes %
John Lee 33,007 50.61%
Loraine Lundquist 32,206 49.39%

References

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  1. ^ "Mitch Englander scandal spurs calls for John Lee to resign". Daily News. March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  2. ^ "She vowed to upend the status quo. But voters chose a longtime City Hall aide for council". Los Angeles Times. August 15, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Elizabeth Chou (May 20, 2019). "LA CITY COUNCIL ELECTION: For John Lee, public service starts with an immigrant's story and City Hall experience". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  4. ^ "L.A. councilman corrects website about college degree". Los Angeles Times. January 20, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Northwest Valley's John Lee is sworn in on the LA City Council". Los Angeles Daily News. August 30, 2019.
  6. ^ "LA CITY COUNCIL ELECTION: For John Lee, public service starts with an immigrant's story and City Hall experience". Daily News. May 20, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Munoz, Anabel (July 1, 2020). "Los Angeles City Council votes to cut LAPD budget by $150 million". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Newsource, City (October 23, 2019). "4 years later still no Aliso Canyon shutdown. But activists, residents are still demanding it". dailynew.com. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  9. ^ "12th District Councilmember John Lee, LADWP Collaborate on Shipping Container "Indoor Farm" Project to Benefit Local Communities". www.ladwpnews.com. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  10. ^ "Q&A: John Lee, LA's newest city councilman, talks about his priorities". Los Angeles Daily News. September 4, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "San Fernando Valley group calls for Councilman John Lee's removal from planning committee". Los Angeles Daily News. November 13, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d "Former L.A. Councilman Mitchell Englander pleads guilty in City Hall corruption case". Los Angeles Times. July 7, 2020.
  13. ^ "Cash, casinos and a sexual harassment payout: Former Huizar aide agrees to plead guilty". Los Angeles Times. May 27, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  14. ^ "Green Party of Los Angeles County calls for resignation of Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee". Green Party of Los Angeles County. March 18, 2020.
  15. ^ "John Lee faces new calls to resign after his former boss pleads guilty in corruption case". Los Angeles Daily News. March 27, 2020.
  16. ^ Wick, Julia (October 2, 2023). "Six years after lavish Vegas trip, Councilmember John Lee faces ethics allegations". Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^ "LA City Councilman John Lee sues Ethics Commission". Los Angeles Public Press. November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  18. ^ "Ex-aide to Councilman Mitchell Englander files harassment suit". Chicago Tribune. October 18, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  19. ^ "Sex harassment suit filed against chief of staff to Los Angeles Councilman Mitch Englander". Los Angeles Daily News. October 18, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "John Lee was accused of harassment. Will that sway Valley voters?". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  21. ^ "Can a Democrat win an L.A. City Council seat long held by Republicans?". Los Angeles Times. May 19, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "LA's City Council District 12 Seat Is Up For Grabs. Here Are The 15 People Vying To Fill It". LAist. April 1, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  23. ^ "John Lee Claims Victory In Special Election For LA City Council Seat". LAist. August 15, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "John Lee (California)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  25. ^ "Election Results". results.lavote.gov. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
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Political offices
Preceded by Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 12th district
2019–present 		Incumbent
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