Whittier Councilwoman Jessica Martinez and Yorba Linda Trustee Were at Capitol During Riot

January 10, 2020

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES

Leandra Blades visited Washington this week for a self-described girl’s trip to spend time with friends and sightsee.

It was like a slumber party with wine, said Blades, who was recently elected to the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Board of Education in Orange County, in an interview streamed online.

Except that two days into the sojourn, Blades and her friends attended the rally of Trump supporters that culminated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol in which five people were killed and the nation’s democratic foundation was shaken to its core.

Blades, who denies entering the Capitol or participating in the violence, is one of at least two Southern California officials facing calls to resign because of her presence at the event. An online petition calling for her to step down had nearly 2,800 signatures as of Saturday afternoon.

Martinez announced her intent to participate in the rally on Twitter alongside multiple tweets questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election and branding Republicans who accepted the result as “traitors.” On Wednesday morning, she also uploaded a clip of video footage from the rally.

There is calls to censure Martinez, County Supervisor Janice Hahn also added her voice to those calling for Martinez’s censure.

“Any attempt to delay or prevent the peaceful transfer of power is a threat to our democracy and there must be consequences,” Hahn said Friday in a statement.

Jessica Martinez

Martinez’ former actions do not square with her denial that she was at the rally.

In six tweets posted, she responded to tweetssuch as saying Somalia-born Rep, Ilhan Omar, D-Minneapolis, “can go back wherever she came from and REALLY be a victim” or saying about U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, “President Pocahontas? She needs a Wigwam not the white house.”