Last October, one the biggest news stories in Los Angeles and around the nation was the release of the Fed Tapes -- revealing an ugly, racist conversation between some of my council colleagues and the head of the labor federation. For me and my family, it was brutal and personally wrenching. For Los Angeles, it was a scandal of epic proportions. It was a window into the ugly souls of of some of the most powerful people in Los Angeles. 

The Los Angeles Times assigned dozens of reporters, editors and columnists to cover the story.  The staff of the paper won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News for its coverage of the story. In this episode of What's Next, Los Angeles, I talk about the story and how the paper covered it with two members of that award-winning team: Ben Oreskes, one of the reporters who covered the story - in fact the reporter who called me about the tapes and; Steve Clow, one of the editors who directed the coverage.

L.A. council members made racist comments in leaked audio. LAT full coverage

LA Times/Fox 11 Town Hall on the Fed Tapes

Ben Oreskes now covers state and national politics for the Times. You can find out more about him, and how to contact him here.

Steve Clow is assistant managing editor for California projects and innovation at the Los Angeles Times.  You can find out more about him, and how to contact him here.

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.