'Defund Police' lawmaker ripped for hypocrisy after LAPD was called to watch staffer's Lexus
Los Angeles City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez slammed by local police union: 'How about calling AAA?'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Los Angeles city councilman who has expressed support for defunding and ultimately abolishing the police is under fire after his office called the LAPD to patrol a staffer's broken-down Lexus.
A staffer for Democrat Los Angeles City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez called the LAPD Wednesday evening asking for "extra patrols throughout the night" for his parked white Lexus after the vehicle broke down, according to reports.
Soto-Martinez, who represents L.A.'s District 13, previously identified himself as a police "abolitionist" on a Los Angeles City Council candidate questionnaire.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VP of Los Angeles Police Protective League Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz slammed the "hypocrisy" from the far-left official on "Fox & Friends First" Monday.
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"Apparently the councilman and his staff want to abolish the police for everyone but themselves," Sandoz said. "It is the complete height of hypocrisy."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We have a serious crime problem in Los Angeles," she continued. "We have murder, we have homeless encampments, we have robberies, home invasion robberies. And then you have a councilman calling because his car broke down? That's unbelievable. We're down 700 police officers in Los Angeles. They're spread thin. And you have a councilman that's using his influence to have a police officer come to monitor his vehicle because it's broken down? How about calling AAA?"
When reached for comment on the call, the councilman's office told FOX 11 Los Angeles he is "upset" by the incident: "It's come to our attention that a deputy staffer had some contact with the LAPD regarding his personal vehicle. We are investigating this matter internally and will be taking appropriate action. Council Member Soto-Martinez is very upset as this does not reflect the values of transparency, responsible governance and being accountable to the community that elected him," the statement read.
Century City and downtown Los Angeles are seen through the smog. (Reuters)
Sandoz called the response "unbelievable" and argued Soto-Martinez's accountability includes protecting the citizens in his district from crime.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's so irresponsible and dangerous to want to abolish the police and to stand behind that and to say that they're going to investigate their own staffer," she said. "It's hard to believe that the staffer didn't get direction from the councilman. I mean, this is his car, right?"
"I think that they're backtracking on their campaign promise to abolish the police and to defund the police. So, I don't buy that one bit."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sandoz believes the staffer was using their position to get special treatment, arguing a regular citizen would not have been able to receive police help to watch a broken-down vehicle.
"I don't understand how this person got elected to office. But he definitely needs to step down if he's not willing to protect his constituents and also protect the city of Los Angeles," Sandoz concluded.