We all make mistakes. But not all of us acknowledge that we do. And not all of us say we’re sorry.
In what is an impressive start to his term as West Hollywood’s mayor, John Duran has acknowledged and apologized for some of his mistakes.
Duran has been criticized by members of the community for attempting at a June 4 City Council meeting to shut down comments by Ivy Bottini about his controversial declaration of “Stormy Daniels Day” in West Hollywood. As Bottini, a well-known lesbian activist, steered her comments from the agenda topic to the Daniels event, Duran called on a Sheriff’s deputy to remove her. At tonight’s Council meeting, local resident Amanda Goodwin asked Duran to apologize to Bottini. Duran acknowledged that he overreacted to Bottini’s criticism of him.
“I … want to apologize to Ivy Bottini,” Duran said. “I think I was overly heavy handed, and I apologize.”
Duran acknowledged Bottini’s activism, saying that while they have sometimes disagreed, they have walked a common path.
Duran, who was criticized in a WEHOville editorial for making misogynist remarks about a prominent local woman that were revealed in a trial last year, also is said to have reached out to that woman to apologize.
With 18 years of service on the City Council, John Duran has significant institutional knowledge. He also is passionate about issues such as LGBT rights and affordable housing that the city was founded on. And he is widely acknowledged for his skill at speaking.
Duran’s position as chair of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, which receives large contributions from city vendors and developers and lobbyists, remains an issue when it comes to West Hollywood’s reputation. Let’s hope the city’s Ethics Task Force takes a look at that. But our mayor is headed thus far in a positive direction.
As I mentioned as the last public speaker at theJune 18 West Hollywood City Council meeting, John Duran deserves credit for having come to his senses regarding his treatment of Ivy Bottini at the previous meeting. But a true apology for all his well-documented, deplorable actions would be resignation.
As I mentioned as the last public speaker at theJune 18 West Hollywood City Council meeting, John Duran deserves credit for having come to his senses regarding his treatment of Ivy Bottini at the previous meeting. But a true apology for all his well-documented, deplorable actions would be resignation.
I would have to disagree on this view. Mr Duran’s actions cost the city money in lawyers fees and so on around his conveniently not disclosing to HR that he had sexual contact with the 6 figure deputy he hired. Even though he is a lawyer by day. His attack on plummet park to try and turn it into a parking lot. Him also trying to bulldoze great hall / long hall a historical landmark. And the list goes on. The right thing for Mr Duran to have done a long time ago when his HR disaster blew up would… Read more »
Doesn’t seem like much of an apology or acknowledgement given all he has to answer for. How much did his various “mistakes” cost the City? But, I guess WEHOville in now on board with John Duran. Move along, nothing to see here?
the chronic: 1) treat women like dirt due to your own insecurities. 2) say words that make you look/sound evolved. 3) treat women like dirt. 4) say words that make you look/sound evolved. 5) treat women like dirt…
He apologizes to two women and you think he is on the right path? No way. He has to apologize to the entire City’s population for him to even begin to be on the beginnings of the right path. He should start by resigning his seat on the Council and apologizing to the City and THEN and ONLY THEN could he be considered to be on the beginnings of the right path. He has done so much to cause embarrassment and shame. I agree with Lacking Integrity in that we have John Heilman for institutional knowledge. We don’t need Duran.… Read more »
The headline of this opinion piece is highly misleading. It appears he has apologized for two of his mistakes. Missing are a slew of whatabouts, like the Owens fiasco, and all of the sub-fiascos it started. Further, the phrase “institutional knowledge” suggests that incumbency has value in a representative democracy–it doesn’t.
I could not disagree with you more.
If it wasn’t for institutional knowledge, we’d have a bunch of inexperienced kids running government. More so in our nation’s capital or statehouse, but it starts locally.
Having a deep bench it what should allow us to feel a little better about putting more diverse people into elected office.
As far as apologizing, I couldn’t AGREE with you more.
I think he should apologize for not reporting that he had slept with Owens to HR. I don’t know that he harassed him (I don’t actually think he did), but he put the city in a vulnerable position, without this disclosure. And he seemed arrogant when it got to the end, as though he was the victim, and had no responsibility in the matter. He claimed that insurance paid for the settlement, but didn’t acknowledge the money spent on private investigators, attorneys, and productivity loss from so many city employees having to be interviewed, go to court (for the Rex… Read more »
“Civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof.” –John F. Kennedy
From how many angles must the community view this unacceptable disaster? John Duran is seriously lacking in integrity and good judgement. The time for an apology to Ms. Bottini and the residents was during Councilmember Comments at the very meeting he resorted to outrageous behavior. Duran took a week to come up with this grand standing gesture of “humble pie”. Slip, sliding his way through myriad sordid atrocities is not what this community wants or deserves. John Heilman can provide institutional knowledge at meetings when necessary. Let’s avoid the next fully press covered disaster by showing Duran the way to… Read more »
I’m not sure that he waited a week, as much as just waiting for the next Council meeting, which are two weeks apart. I’m not sure when or where else you think it would have been appropriate to issue an apology. At his speech at the Gay Pride Festival? As an editorial? On Facebook? I give him credit for doing it publicly, at a city meeting.
Misstated. It was two weeks.
It was perhaps a tangential apology wrapped in his own “accomplishments”.
The time to issue an apology is immediately when one knows they have crossed the line.
If John Duran had more self discipline he would not have taken the action initially.
Unfit for public service but fit for self aggrandizement.
John Duran is impervious to responsible behavior.
This is funny… in a way. You have no idea how much this guy is hiding. He’s gotten lucky so far. He’s got so much dirt; he could cover the entire WeHo-bars block with it. But hey! I’m just an average Joe who just know things. He owes an apology to several people. But, the universe will eventfully make a move… or is it the power of what lies beneath?