LOS ANGELES (KCBS RADIO) – Los Angeles City Council now-former President Nury Martinez has come under fire for racist comments she made last year about a colleague's son.
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As of Monday morning, she has stepped down from her role as the City Council President, but remains a member of the City Council.
Martinez is not the only one under fire, two other City Councilmembers, Kevin De León and Gil Cedillo as well as Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera were all involved in the conversation where the racist comments were made.
In a leaked audio recording, Martinez said fellow City Councilmember Mike Bonin used his Black son as if he was an "accessory," and referred to him as a monkey, among other comments, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times.
De León concurred with Martinez regarding Bonin’s son being like an accessory. While Cedillo was present, he did not make any comments.
There are now several people statewide calling not just for Martinez to step down, but the others as well. This includes Sen. Alex Padilla, who served as City Council President as well and even went to high school with Martinez.
"At a time when our nation is grappling with a rise in hate speech and hate crimes, these racist comments have deepened the pain that our communities have endured. Los Angeles deserves better," Padilla said in a statement on Monday. "At this critical time for the city and the nation, we must continue to build unity and solidarity within all our communities and we must recommit to the struggle for equity and justice for all."
Padilla called for De León and Cedillo to resign as well.
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