Villaraigosa says relationship with TV anchor won't affect run for governor

Two days after revelations that L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was in a relationship with KTLA News anchor Lu Parker, reporters were still peppering the mayor with questions about his personal life.

Tuesday, Villaraigosa told reporters that he had a right to a personal life and a right to some level of privacy. Today, the mayor told reporters at a news conference that the relationship would have no bearing on his upcoming decision on whether to run for governor.

Villaraigosa is seen as one of three leading candidates in the Democratic Party, likely to face San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown if he runs. According to an account from the Associated Press, the mayor also questioned whether voters really care about whom he dates:

At a City Hall news conference, the Democratic mayor said the public has scant interest in his personal life and his decision on entering the 2010 contest to replace Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger “will have nothing to do with any of that.” “My decision will be about one thing -- where I can better serve the people of the city and the people of the state,” Villaraigosa said. He laughed off a question about whether he was in love. “I love life,” he said in response to a reporter’s question.

When it was revealed two years ago that the mayor was having a relationship with TV newscaster Mirthala Salinas, Villaraigosa faced media questions about it for several weeks.

-- Shelby Grad

Comments

[Agent Mike]

Like he has a chance at governor !

[Richard Smith]

I'm shocked! Shocked! Such lewd behavior by Hizonner, but at least he put the book on our tab at a book store in the city.

[pedro213]

The Latino HEAT:)

[David]

The Mayor is entitled to a private life when it comes to relationships. But really, Mayor, how can you be fooled twice.

[WranglerRj]

I have to agree with the Mayor... and that NEVER happens. He deserves a personal life and I don't care who he dates. We have so many greater issues that require our attention both locally and at the state level.

Turn the page!

[Independent skeptic]

Mr. Mayor, if you didn't already have a track record of misusing LA tax dollars to pay for your personal trips, not many would care who you date. What was it that Lu was overheard saying to you about the Kenya travel guide?

[dino]

he won't get the nomination anyway-looks like LA is stuck with him regardless

[Bobby]

I agree that the Mayor does have a personal life, and that we have to respect that.

However, there IS a line that must be drawn in the sand in regards to Lu Parker. As a news anchor she must NOT be involved in ANY story regarding the Mayor or city government.

Zero involvement.

Otherwise there could be an obvious 'conflict of interest' since she is so close to the Mayor.

Bobby

[Barney Fife]

Are you people stupid? This guy sleeps with journalists to garner preferential treatment and a partial view of him and his office. AND, he's done it twice. This is clearly a conflict of interest on the journalists part and the mayor is just using these girls to help him look good in the media. It is ok to have a personal life if you are NOT in public office.
Sorry but you are wrong if you think thats not the case and it will never be the case. They are all fair game. AND, the people are interested Tony..

[guity]

Villaraigosa is totally right -- no matter how many women he goes out with, it is his own business and doesn't change the fact that he is still a lousy mayor, and would also make a lousy governor.

[KKENT]

This is why California is in such crisis. No accountibility for our politicians. This liberal state will never learn, and the anything goes attitude will only put us more in the whole. He'll become governor and his mistress will be banished to San Bernadino like the other one. Why was that again?

[Lisa]

THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRIVATE LIFE OF THE MAYOR.

WHY? BECAUSE HE CREATED A MASSIVE PROBLEM WHEN HE DATED MIRTHALA SALINAS, AND THAT SUBJECTED HIM TO EXTORTION THAT COULD HAVE HARMED THE CITY.

[Fred]

It's just Tony being Tony. If you think he's going to become Governor, I have a bridge over the Tigres I would like to sell you

[El Fweido]

Whomever the mayor dates will not sway my decision if he runs for governor. I still will not vote for him. He is a grandstanding mayor who has let this city fall into peril. Isn't ruining a city enough?

[Donn Wallace]

If all accounts are to be believed, in the 2010 gubernatorial race, the Democrats will offer up an aged, long-time bachelor (Jerry Brown), the Mayor of San Francisco (who cheated on his wife with his former campaign manager's wife) and the Mayor of Los Angeles (and another philanderer), Villaraigosa.

Only the most thirsty of the Kool-Aid drinking Dems could hold a straight face and suggest that none of this would (or should) matter.

[confussed]

This guy wants to run the state? He has already run the city of LA into the mess it is in why would anyone want him? What a clown and so are the other choices

[acc]

Why is the media so into talking about the personal life of two adults who are free to see whoever they want? hmmm. Oh yeah, anything to put a negative slant on who they don't like. Report and move on.

[Tommy]

Who the Mayor dates should not affect his run for governor. Sucking at running a city, on the other hand, should.

[Luis Alvarado]

Are you kidding me! What do you mean it's his private life? We should stay out of it? HECK NO! He is the one that marched his family in front of the cameras in his initial election and made his wife say he was a great guy with great family values. He is the one that sold the people his love for his family. Now that he has been kicked to the curb by his family and become the flamboyant playboy of L.A. we should give him a free pass. NO! we will not. The people of Los Angeles deserve some respect. He hasn't been sworn as Mayor and he is talking about the Governors race??? It's time we all treat him with the same lack of respect he is treating us. NO MAS!

[Woody]

Obviously no one cares who he dates. He cheated on his wife with a TV reporter and was re-elected.

[mimigook]

If the mayors marriage didn't make any difference in his dating why should th thought of running for higher office make any difference. We all know just what priority he puts on his love life rather than legal contracts now don't we!!

[Greg]

Tony Villar is a self-promoting ineffective Mayor and would be a worse Governor than Schwarzenegger.

No to Tony Villar!

[al]

Ms Parker is entitled to a private life as well. I went to school with her in South Carolina and she was a super nice person...and by the way did you know she was Miss America?

[No Way for Governor]

The Mayor needs to stop planting self-serving comments on blogs. Stop planting comments that say, "he is entitled to a personal life" blah blah blah.

One of the reasons we have such greater problems is BECAUSE OF incompetent narcissistic representatives like him who are too busy sleazing around to do a thoughtful job for L.A.

He definitely does NOT have the mental or ethical chops to pull L.A., or the state of CA, out of this massive ditch.

Moreover, his total REPEAT disregard for the ethical conflict in dating a reporter who does stories on him shows he is out of touch with reality, irrational, and morally bankrupt.

[West Valley Dave]

So by the title of the article, the Alcalde, Greasy Tony, El Mayor La Raza IS running for governor? I hope he does. I hope he spends a lot of special interest money. Because in the end he will lose. Badly. He has been a disaster as a mayor. He should be embarrassed by his ineptitude. He should resign immediately.

[Conflict of Interest and Bad Judgment ARE the Public's Concern]

This guy has done nothing to earn being Governor, unless you're measuring merit by the "fail upwards" reward system that threw this country off the cliff. After the fiasco with the last female reporter (who was exiled to Riverside, yet he gets to run for Governor? don't permit this perverse reward system), he seems delusional or completely hostile by dating yet another female reporter with the same conflict of interest issue. His penis (ewww) must be more important than the well-being of the public and a political process with integrity.

[Diane]

Why does he keep making an utter fool of himself? Can't Los Angeles do better than this loser?

[Csb]

How can he be fooled twice? Or how is he able to fool again should be the question. He does deserve privacy in his personal life just like all of us, however, he is the mayor of Los Angeles so privacy goes out the window. It seems to me that adulterers bring the damage and criticisms among themselves. He cheated on his wife while still a public figure, and is now going out with another news anchor, I mean really does he do this on purpose or is he just oblivious to the kind of attention this will bring? He needs to keep his pants on and do his job.

[no sanctuary]

I agree, who cares? Just wondering what some women see in midgets with silly grins.

[DRE DAWG]

What pisses me off the most, is that he hasn't done anything with our city and will be leaving it worse off than when he came. He doesn't deserve to have a love life!!! He spend all his time stomping around for Clinton, on failing to take over LAUSD, on Mirthala, on chasing the media cameras so we can OD on seeing his ugly mug....how 'bout you work man!!!!

BTW, he was re-elected by a slim margin and was barely opposed by anone who posed a real threat.