L.A.'s Leaked City Council Tape Reminds Us Why 'Smoke-Filled Rooms' Are Bad

Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

Invest in

Invest in

Invest in

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

 

 

 

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

https://reason.com/2022/10/13/l-a-s-leaked-city-council-tape-reminds-us-why-smo…

Reason

0
0
No votes have been submitted yet.
Headline Roundup
Type of Content
Approved Story
1
Format
Region
News Item Format
Standard
Image Caption
David Crane/ZUMA Press/Newscom

The rampant cable news attention seeking and kayfabe committee hearings that characterize politics today have an ideologically diverse set of pundits yearning for a return of the "smoke-filled room." There, the argument goes, politicians could hash out policy in private, frank conversations away from all the bad incentives created by TV cameras and records requests.

"Sometimes," wrote Jonathan Rauch in 2015, "the only thing wrong with smoke-filled rooms is the smoke."

The intensifying scandal surrounding three Los Angeles City councilmembers caught on a surreptitious recording making racist remarks during one such "frank" conversation shows how unwarranted that romance for smoke-filled rooms really is.