Buscaino stepping down as Council President pro tem during run for mayor

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion Tuesday to remove Councilman and 2022 mayoral candidate Joe Buscaino as president pro tempore and have Councilman Mitch O’Farrell elected to replace him.

“The time has come for Joe to run his race for mayor and I will continue to focus on leading this city and this council without distraction,” Martinez said in a statement.

Her motion, which will be voted on next Tuesday, was seconded by Councilmen Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Gil Cedillo, Curren Price, Paul Krekorian and Bob Blumenfield.

“I am honored to have been nominated by my colleagues to serve as president pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council,” O’Farrell said in a statement. “If approved, I look forward to supporting the work of this council, led by Council President Martinez, to help ensure that we collectively and fearlessly address the many challenges facing our great city.”

Buscaino had already said Tuesday morning that he would step down as president pro tempore because he is running for mayor. If passed, the motion would remove Buscaino from the post effective Oct. 1.

“As is the long-held tradition of giving up council leadership when running for another office, today I will be stepping down from my ceremonial position of council president pro tem and will be supporting my good friend Council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson to replace me,” Buscaino said in a statement.

Buscaino — a former police officer who represents the 15th Council District — announced his run for mayor on March 15. During his mayoral campaign and as a councilman, Buscaino has called for stricter enforcement of the city’s anti-camping laws, including prohibiting camping and sleeping on sidewalks by people who have already been offered a shelter option.

He also introduced a resolution to enforce the city’s anti-camping laws around every public school in Los Angeles.

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