Council member could lose his job for failing to protect Marilyn Monroe’s old house

Some like it hot — but L.A. council member Paul Krekorian may be getting more heat than he wants over the demolition of Marilyn Monroe’s former mansion.

Constituents have even begun collecting signatures for a petition to recall the politician, who they allege demonstrates bias towards outside business interests rather than serving his district, which includes Valley Village, North Hollywood and Studio City, My News L.A. reported. At least 18,536 signatures, or 15 percent of registered voters in the district, are needed by July 26 in order to guarantee his ouster.

Krekorian’s critics say the decision to raze Monroe’s pre-fame bungalow, which belonged to her then-in-laws, was the nail in the coffin for Krekorian, who should have acted to protect the landmark. During World War II, 17-year-old Monroe, a.k.a. Norma Jeane Dougherty, had been living with her in-laws while working as a parachute inspector. Despite its historical and cultural importance to some community members, the city ultimately allowed developer Joe Salem to raze the property last summer.

Krekorian said Friday that the recall is unwarranted. Horacio Arroyo, a project director with the City Clerk’s Office, told My News that four previous attempts to recall politicians in the past decade have all failed. [My News L.A.] — Cathaleen Chen