Mayor Villaraigosa accuses Prop 32 campaign of misrepresenting his remarks

Andres Aguila/KPCC

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa believes the Proposition 32 campaign is misrepresenting his remarks to make it seem that he supports the ballot measure.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lashed out today at the Proposition 32 campaign for suggesting that he supports the measure that would prohibit labor unions from deducting political contributions from members' paychecks.

In a letter to the campaign, the mayor accuses supporters of misusing his remarks on the failure of a state senate bill to suggest that he supports Prop 32. SB 1530  would have made it easier to dismiss teachers involved in drug and sexual abuse cases, but it was strongly opposed by teachers’ unions. In an Associated Press story cited by the campaign, Villaraigosa called the defeat a “cynical political manipulation.”

Those remarks were then picked up and used in a Yes on Proposition 32 commercial posted to YouTube. However, in a letter released today, Villaraigosa said that his comments were taken out of context by the campaign.

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