City Panel Nominee Withdraws Candidacy

A nominee to the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Authority withdrew his candidacy after sending a controversial e-mail in which he joked about contributors to a City Council candidate, a spokeswoman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Thursday.

On Tuesday, Tony Scudellari sent an e-mail making fun of 19 supporters of Nick Pacheco, who is running for City Council. In the e-mail, which was forwarded to The Times, Scudellari implied that one contributor who is married is gay. He also joked that another, Michael Gatto, had ties to the Mafia.

Gatto is the president of the El Pueblo panel that Scudellari would have served on if he had been approved by the council.

Scudellari could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. Scudellari, a music supervisor for television shows, is also the co-chairman of a committee for the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council and has long been involved in community politics.

On Tuesday night, Scudellari said the e-mail was intended for a few friends, and he apologized for its content.

“Mr. Scudellari offered to withdraw his nomination, and we have accepted. He sent us an e-mail late last night,” said Janelle Erickson, a Villaraigosa press secretary.

She said that a nomination to replace Scudellari would be forthcoming.

“I think he did the right thing for the city, given that he had an indefensible position,” Gatto said. “It saves the city and himself from further embarrassment.”