Appointed Los Angeles City Council District 10 Councilmember Heather Hutt is facing criticism from voters and rival candidates after sending a substitute to a candidate debate.
On January 23, during an online forum hosted by the nonprofit Streets for All, Hutt’s campaign sent a staffer in her place, a move that surprised and offended attendees.
According to a joint statement released on January 25 by District 10 candidates Grace Yoo, Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Aura Vasquez, and Eddie Anderson, they expressed disappointment stating, “We believe that candidates should communicate directly with voters, not send someone else in a town hall and/or forum, especially when it’s an opportunity to engage with community members.”
This is not the first instance of Hutt missing a debate. She has been absent from several recent events, citing various reasons, and has faced criticism from her opponents for her off-topic remarks and expressions when she participated in past debates.
The Hutt campaign explained that she was unable to attend the recent debate due to illness and claimed that the forum organizers had consented to the participation of a staff member.
The substitute read from a prepared list of debate questions and agenda items.
As of January 25, there has been no response from the Hutt campaign regarding the candidates’ joint statement.
BY BRIAN CHOI [ichoi@koreadaily.com]
