LOS ANGELES (KNX) – Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez announced she is stepping down as City Council president after an audio recording of her making racially charged remarks were released.
Martinez will remain on council as she did not resign her seat.
"I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I’m so sorry,” she said in a statement. “I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean, and your son. As a mother, I know better and I am sorry. I am truly ashamed. I know this is the result of my own actions. I’m sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.
“As someone who believes deeply in the empowerment of communities of color, I recognize my comments undercut that goal. Going forward, reconciliation will be my priority. I have already reached out to many of my Black colleagues and other Black leaders to express my regret in order for us to heal.
“I ask for forgiveness from my colleagues and from the residents of this city that I love so much. In the end, it is not my apologies that matter most; it will be the actions I take from this day forward. I hope that you will give me the opportunity to make amends.
“Therefore, effective immediately I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council."
In a recorded conversation with Councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrrera, Martinez made racist remarks against the son of fellow councilmember Mike Bonin.
"They're raising him like a little white kid," Martinez said about Bonin’s 2-year-old child, who is Black. "I was like, this kid needs a beatdown...”
De León was also heard in the audio saying Bonin cared for his child like an accessory and referred to Bonin as the "fourth Black member" of L.A.'s city council.
Martinez also called Bonin "a little bitch" and said about L.A. County District Attorney Gascón, "F**k that guy … he's with the Blacks."
She also made comments about Black people, calling them "negritos" and described the Oaxacan immigrants living in Koreatown as "short, little dark people."
The recording were posted on Reddit earlier this month and then published by Knock LA.
"We are appalled, angry and absolutely disgusted that Nury Martinez attacked our son with horrific racist slurs, and talked about her desire to physically harm him,” Bonin said in a statement. “It's vile, abhorrent, and utterly disgraceful. The City Council needs to remove her as Council President immediately, and she needs to resign from office. Any parent reading her comments will know she is unfit for public office.”
Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, the council president pro tempore, will serve as interim council president. In a press conference, O'Farrell said he "doesn't see any way past this."
"I don't see how that presence continuing in city leadership is going to allow the city to move forward," O'Farrell said.
O'Farrell is one of many councilmembers calling on Martinez, De León and Cedillo to resign their council seats.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said stepping down from council would be the "right response."
"Bigotry, violence, and division too often live in unseen and unheard places, but have severe consequences on the lives of our fellow Angelenos when they are not confronted and left to infect our public and private lives," he said.
"Stepping down from the council would be the right response by these members in a moment that demands accountability and healing at a time of great pain and deep disappointment."
Mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Rick Caruso both called for the trio's resignation.
"Everyone involved in this should be held accountable," Caruso said in an official statement. "I have now and will always have zero tolerance for hate speech and this situation is beyond pale."
"Los Angeles must move in a new direction, and that is not possible unless the four individuals caught on that tape resign from their offices immediately," Bass said in a statement.
The Federation of Labor office is investigating who leaked the audio, telling CNS in an email that it will "make sure these crimes are prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
City News Service contributed to this article.
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