Califorinia State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León told La Opinion that he is being singled out in the media because he is a Latino politician.

"If a white politician hosts an event in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, it's fine; nobody says anything," de León said, "but if a Latino politician holds an event there, then it's very bad, you have to do it in the neighborhood."

Last October, the Los Angeles Democrat was sworn in with a lavish $50,000 celebration at LA's Walt Disney Hall Concert. Taxpayers paid an additional $28,000 for travel expenses, while special contributions to de León's Latino Caucus funded most of the event.

De León says that there is a lack of diversity in the media which does not allow for a lot of voices to be heard, The Sacramento Bee reports.

"This inevitably affects the choices made in producing coverage and content, and limits the amount of perspectives that can be heard," de León said. "Facing stubborn and troubling stratifications in our economy and society, we need our institutions to be reflective of our great diversity."

De León defended his lavish swearing-in party adding that thousands of people attended including regular Joes.

"Yes, we spent $50,000 and there were 3,000 people there, three-fourths of whom were housekeepers, gardeners, students for whom it is very difficult to attend an event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall," de León said.

"Attorney General Kamala Harris, whom I consider a friend, spent $80,000 on her reelection event this year and there were only 800 people there. I was in the first row, I saw it myself."

León also pointed out that it was wrong for the media to single out former Sen. Rod Wright for living outside the district he ran to represent.

He said, "It was very unfair, because he has lived his whole life in south Los Angeles, and he knows it very well. And what he did all politicians do, from all parties."

The legislator says there is a "double-standard" in the media.