Recall Effort Against North Hollywood's Embattled Councilman Fails

LOS ANGELES, CA - An effort to recall Los Angeles Councilman Paul Krekorian failed today when proponents did not submit any signatures, an official with the City Clerk's office said.

Recall supporters were required to submit valid signatures from at least 18,536 registered voters in Krekorian's 2nd District by 5 p.m. to qualify the recall for the ballot.

An attempt to recall Krekorian would now have to start from scratch, according to Horacio Arroyo, a project coordinator with the City Clerk's office.

Krekorian said in a statement today that he feels the recall effort has ended and that voters in his district "have spoken clearly once again by rejecting this petition effort."

"I'm glad the issue has now been put to rest, and I'm grateful that the vast majority of the people support my work," Krekorian said.

Representatives of the recall proponents wrote in an email today that they would issue a statement, but have yet to offer any comment.

Recall proponents alleged Krekorian, who represents a district that includes Valley Village, North Hollywood and Studio City, has "demonstrated a marked bias favoring outside business interests over community sensibilities and community requests."

Donna Gooley, one of the five recall proponents, told City News Service earlier this year that the catalyst for her to join the recall effort was the demolition of a former home of Marilyn Monroe.

The city deemed the property historically and culturally insignificant, and denied an appeal from residents who wanted to preserve it. Gooley said the home was on a street that was excluded from historic status designation, a move that has allowed properties to be sold off for "major developments."

The four other proponents were Jed Fuchs, Goran Nicola Lukic, Pamela D. Lippert and JoAnn D. Erickson.

All four attempts to recall a council member in the past 10 years have failed to qualify for the ballot, according to Arroyo.

City News Service; Photo: Wikimedia Commons