Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today sought to put the scandal surrounding
his personal life behind him, one day after the Telemundo network
suspended his girlfriend, newscaster Mirthala Salinas, for covering the
mayor while they were romantically involved.
But a Villaraigosa news conference at the Port of Los Angeles ended
chaotically, with a port police sergeant shoving a television reporter
against a cargo container as she attempted to pursue the mayor.
FOR THE RECORD:
An earlier version of this article referred to KVEA-TV Channel 52 as Channel 54.
Only minutes earlier, Villaraigosa had voiced hope that the
conclusion of Telemundo’s review of Salinas’ conduct would allow him to
move forward.
Yet even as the mayor expressed those sentiments, he took questions on
whether his poll numbers had dropped (he said he didn’t know), whether
he spoke to Telemundo for its review (he said he hadn’t) and whether he
felt responsible for the disciplinary actions that befell Salinas and
three management-level employees at Telemundo and its local affiliate,
KVEA-TV Channel 52.
“I regret (that) the decisions that I’ve made in my personal life have
been a distraction to the City of Los Angeles,” said Villaraigosa,
whose wife of 20 years has filed for divorce. “I’m deeply sorry that
I’ve let so many people down, especially my family. But it’s time to
move on, and move on we will.”
Villaraigosa said he took full responsibility for his actions “from the
very beginning.” And he repeatedly attempted to refocus reporters on
the port’s announcement that the retail chain Target had obtained 100
trucks powered by cleaner-burning liquid natural gas.
“That’s the real news here, by the way,” he said.
Villaraigosa customarily lingers after news conferences to answer
additional questions from reporters and allow cameras to follow him to
his vehicle.
But today, as the mayor strode from the podium, a half-dozen port
police officers formed a skirmish line to block reporters and cameramen
from approaching him.
“How come we’re not allowed to talk to him?” one reporter barked.
“Why the suddenly limited access?” another demanded.
When the officers broke their formation, more than a dozen journalists
starting running across a parking lot in pursuit of the mayor as he
departed.
Spanish-language television reporter Alicia Unger was at the front of
the pack, and as she approached one 20-foot container, Port Police Sgt.
Kevin McCloskey shoved her into the side of it, further infuriating
reporters, who began shouting.
“That’s wrong,” one television reporter screamed.
Another said: “You can’t hit a woman like that.”
A visibly shaken Unger, who reports for Azteca America Channel 54, then shouted at the officer: “Why are you pushing me?”
Reporters and camera operators surrounded McCloskey demanding to know
why he pushed Unger. McCloskey told them to contact port police as
another officer led him away.
Afterward, reporters turned their attention to Unger, who said that McCloskey “slammed me. He slammed me hard.”
Spokesman Matt Szabo later said that the mayor’s office did not order port police to keep reporters away from Villaraigosa.
david.zahniser@latimes.com
duke.helfand@latimes.com
Cop shielding Villaraigosa gets rough with reporter – Los Angeles Times
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