In a unanimous decision, the Los Angeles City Council voted for Paul Krekorian to take over as its president Tuesday following the resignation of Nury Martinez, who was heard making racist comments in a leaked audio recording that drew the nation’s attention to the city government, CNN reported.
Krekorian, who represents Council District 2, an area stretching from Toluca Lake to the edge of Verdugo Mountain Park in Sun Valley, was elected in 2009 and served for years as chairman of the city’s Budget and Finance Committee. Previously, Krekorian was a California State Assembly member, according to his website.
While Krekorian thanked his fellow city council members for their faith in him, he noted the serious conditions in which this vote occurred.
“The city is not celebrating now, the city is grieving. And we are working overwhelmingly together to try to overcome what we experienced over the last week,” Krekorian said during the meeting.
His predecessor, Martinez, resigned from her seat on Council District 6 last week, two days after stepping down from her post as president after the recording came to light, igniting outrage across the city.
Krekorian said he plans to reduce the powers of the council president in light of recent events, and “the era of unilateral decision making and consolidating power – that ends today.”
“The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region warmly congratulates Councilmember Paul Krekorian for his election today as Los Angeles City Council President. This is truly a historic moment, and we are extremely proud that the Armenian-American community now has its highest ranking elected official leading Los Angeles through these difficult times,” the organization said in a statement.
