Candidate Criticized for Race-Based Comments

The Anti-Defamation League criticized a Los Angeles City Council candidate who urged voters at a public forum not to support another African American candidate because she was married to a white man.

Woody Fleming, a Los Angeles Public Works commissioner who is endorsed by Mayor Richard Riordan, admitted making the comment about his opponent Jan Perry last month at a South Los Angeles forum. But in an interview he said he misspoke.

“I meant to say she was married to a wealthy lawyer,” he said. “I apologize very much.”

In a letter to Fleming on Thursday, ADL Regional Director David A. Lehrer said he read about the comments in The Times and worried that “such appeals to bigotry can be incendiary.”

“We are deeply concerned by these comments,” he said. “What relevance does the race or religion of Ms. Perry’s husband have to the election for the 9th Council seat?”

Lehrer said Fleming has not responded to his letter.

The letter also cited Perry’s allegation that during the same candidates forum Fleming told the mostly African American crowd that her husband is Jewish and that he wants to buy up black neighborhoods in the 9th District.

A political consultant for Fleming called Perry’s allegation untrue and slanderous.

“She is running an extremely divisive, horrifying campaign,” said Phil Giarrizzo. “We are not going to engage in that.”

Giarrizzo said Perry opened herself up to questions about her family by failing to include her family members in campaign photos or campaign appearances.

“She caused the situation because she has tried to disguise who she is,” he said.

A spokesman for Riordan said the mayor continues to support Fleming.

“The mayor knows that Mr. Fleming has apologized,” said Riordan spokesman Peter Hidalgo. “The mayor believes Mr. Fleming when he says it was a slip of the tongue.”

Fleming and Perry both worked as aides to Councilwoman Rita Walters and are considered among the leading candidates to replace her as she leaves office because of term limits.