INGLEWOOD – Inglewood Councilwoman Gloria Gray is facing a recall days after announcing her mayoral candidacy.
Gray made her announcement on July 21 stating she made the decision to run for mayor after consulting residents.
“The next chapter of Inglewood really should focus on the people who live here,” said Gray.
Gray’s announcement follows longtime Mayor James Butts announcing his intention to seek an unprecedented fifth term.
Butts has been in office since 2011 and has led the revitalization of Inglewood that has transformed the nearly 100,000 resident community into the sports and entertainment capital of the West Coast.
Other residents who have pulled nomination forms to challenge Butts include Raina Carrillo, Fre’Drisha Dixon, Arturo Martinez and Marvin McCoy.
Gray also serves on the West Basin water district’s board of director’s and she has pulled nomination papers to also retain that seat. In the 2018 and 2022 elections, Gray faced no challengers and returned to her water board seat.
The recall focuses on Gray serving on both elected bodies in addition to “pay-to-play” allegations concerning a campaign donation she received from Murphy’s Bowl LLC which is the company owned by Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
“Local government works only when residents can trust that council votes are cast on their merits through an objective shared governance process,” said local resident Andres Ibarra. “Our city cannot afford the optics of corruption, whether true or not, by elected officials receiving campaign contributions that violate the FPPC code of ethics from powerful interests with business before the council.”
According to one of the complaints, the City Council approved two agreements involving Murphy’s Bowl LLC related to the Intuit Dome development on May 9, 2023.
Roughly three weeks later, Murphy’s Bowl LLC contributed $2,500 to Councilmember Gray’s campaign committee according to public reports filed by Councilmember Gray — an amount the complaint states exceeded the limits § 84308 sets for parties involved in government contract proceedings.
The state Fair Political Practices Commission has kicked back a complaint filed against Gray by resident Lauren Sutton that alleged Inglewood residents are not being properly served by Gray serving in both positions.
“According to the principles set forth in California Government Code Section 1099, and as supported by prior rulings by the FPPC, a person may not simultaneously hold two public offices if the duties of either office may conflict with the duties of the other,” Sutton wrote in the complaint. “In past determinations, similar dual office-holding arrangements have been deemed incompatible and therefore prohibited under California law.”
In 2023, former District Attorney George Gascon applied to Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office to sue David Argudo, in quo warranto, to remove him from his public office as a member of the La Puente City Council as a member of the La Puente Valley County Water District Board of Directors.
Bonta granted the application to sue Argudo, however, he remains in both seats.
The district attorney’s office confirmed the received two complaints about Gray’s holding both seats and have declined to seek her removal on both occasions.