Inglewood mayor, embroiled in groping allegations, accuses rivals of smear campaign
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Inglewood has been roiled over the last week by allegations that the city’s mayor acted inappropriately at a community event, accusations he strongly denies and insists are politically motivated.
Mayor James T. Butts Jr. held an emotional news conference Monday, speaking publicly for the first time against claims he inappropriately touched a high school student while posing for a group photo at the city’s recent “Votechella” event.
Standing outside City Hall, flanked by local and regional leaders and two large poster boards bearing the message “Stop the lies. Stop the billionaires,” Butts said attacks against him are driven by local activists and also tied to a larger political battle between the city and the operators of its large entertainment venues.
Exactly what happened at the community event on the lawn outside City Hall remains unclear.
The student and her family have not made any public statements on the alleged misconduct. A representative for the family told The Times they had been advised by legal counsel not to discuss the incident and to “let the investigation run its course,” but would not clarify who is investigating.
In an eight-minute speech, Butts accused his rivals of mounting a libelous and racist smear campaign depicting him as a Black man unable to control his impulses. He noted that there is no evidence of a complaint being filed by the alleged victim or her family, and he headed back inside the building without taking questions from the crowd of reporters and residents.
Accusations against Butts, who has served as the city’s leader since 2010, came to public attention Thursday when a coalition of political activists held a news conference in the same location.
None of the speakers witnessed the alleged inappropriate touching of a student. Three people who attended Votechella told The Times they saw the student appearing uncomfortable as the mayor pulled her close to him while a group photo was being taken. They declined to be identified, citing fears for their personal safety.
“Any time a young minor says they’ve been inappropriately touched, it’s our job as adults not to question them,” said local activist Najee Ali at Thursday’s news conference. “It’s our job to believe them. It’s our job to protect them. It’s our job to demand accountability.”
Butts said Monday that he is serving Ali and the other activists circulating the accusations — Yolanda Davidson, Earl Ofari Hutchinson and Leonard Redway — with cease-and-desist letters and that they will be held to account for “their slander and libelous defamation with no direct source or facts.”
Davidson and Redway are running for Inglewood City Council District 1.
Butts also said his political opponents include the backers of Measure BB. The local ballot measure, supported by SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum, would eliminate commercial advertising on kiosks and billboards in the public right of way in Inglewood. Butts said the measure would deprive the city of an $8-million annual revenue source.
Billboards are at the center of a corporate power struggle that may be headed to the ballot this November.
The mayor did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday on what connection, if any, exists among the backers of Measure BB and the “billionaires” referenced on the “Stop the lies” poster boards and the activists drawing attention to the groping allegations.
Butts’ profile has risen in recent years as Inglewood has become the home of the Rams, Chargers and Clippers, transforming the city into a sports and entertainment powerhouse.
At Monday’s news conference, Butts said it has been the honor of his life serving as mayor for the last 16 years, helping turn a city “four months away from cash-flow insolvency with a 17.5% unemployment rate, triple B-minus bond rating ... and a decaying infrastructure into one of the most successful cities in the world.”
Once known for violence and corruption, Inglewood has become a hub for sports and entertainment. Housing costs are climbing, but James T. Butts Jr. defends the growth.
State Assemblymember Tina S. McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) spoke in support of Butts at Monday’s news conference, noting that it is election season and, although candidates have a right to challenge each other publicly, serious allegations should be handled responsibly.
“An allegation is not a fact,” she said. “Based on the information publicly available, no police report from the family has been identified, we have not heard publicly from a student or her parents, we have not seen a public identified complaint from the student’s school superintendent.”
City Atty. Rick Olivarez said at the news conference that his office has not received a complaint or referral regarding the incident. Inglewood Unified School District County Administrator James Morris declined to comment on whether the district was investigating the incident, but said at the news conference that “our responsibility as educators is to protect our students. I am confident that we have done so in this case.”
On Monday, Ali dropped off a letter at the L.A. County district attorney’s office that he and Hutchinson had signed asking for a criminal investigation to be opened into the mayor.
“On Tuesday evening, September 15th, 2026, outside of Inglewood City Hall at a community event attended by several high school students, Mayor James T. Butts allegedly has been accused of sexually assaulting a female Inglewood high school student by touching her inappropriately,” Hutchinson and Ali wrote. “This alleged act was witnessed by multiple people, including mandated reporters.”
Davidson told The Times she has long-standing concerns about Butts’ conduct.
“This allegation, it’s just the top-tier new allegation of a long laundry list of things that Mayor Butts has done in the city and has been accused of doing in the city,” she said.
In 2019, Butts’ longtime aide Melanie McDade-Dickens filed a wrongful termination lawsuit accusing him of sexually harassing her after she ended a romantic relationship with him. He denied the allegations and a court later dismissed all claims against him and the city.
The following year, former Inglewood Treasurer Wanda Brown filed a lawsuit accusing Butts and four City Council members of slashing her salary in retaliation for her accusing the mayor and council of financial mismanagement. The state’s Supreme Court ultimately rejected her whistleblower lawsuit.
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