10/10/2022
Nury Martinez has resigned as president of the Los Angeles City Council 24 hours after a leaked audio recording revealed her and Councilman Kevin de León making racist comments.
Martinez released the following statement on Monday morning:
“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I’m so sorry.
“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.”
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilman Kevin de León are facing a growing chorus of protests and calls for their resignation after they were caught on a recording making racist comments about another councilmember’s toddler son.
Martinez and de León issued an apology Sunday after the leaked audio from an October 2021 conversation became public. In it, Martinez is heard referring to Councilman Mike Bonin’s Black son by a racist slur in Spanish and referring to his misbehavior during a parade by remarking “I was like, this kid needs a beatdown.”
Bonin is calling for Martinez and de León to resign after making what he described as “horrific racist slurs” about his son.
Bonin issued a statement Sunday calling for the City Council to remove Martinez as president and for her to resign from her council seat. He added that de Leon and union head Ron Herrera – who was part of the conversation – should also resign from their positions. Bonin said he was also upset at the “tacit acceptance” of the remarks by Councilman Gil Cedillo who was also present.
“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 wrote in a statement with his partner Sean Arian. “It’s vile, abhorrent, and utterly disgraceful.”
Bonin says his son was under 3 years old at the time of the 2017 parade referred to in the conversation.
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