Democratic L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez resigned Monday after leaked audio recordings revealed that she and two council members allegedly made racist remarks.
The recording, first leaked on Reddit, played audio of Martinez in October 2021 when she allegedly criticized her white colleague, Councilman Mike Bonin, for raising his black son as if he were an “accessory” and described the child as “parece changuito,” which translates to “like a monkey,” the Los Angeles Times first reported Sunday.
She also said Bonin’s son should receive a “beatdown” for his behavior at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, the outlet reported.
“They’re raising him like a little White kid,” Martinez allegedly said. “I was like, ‘This kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back.”‘
She also allegedly described Bonin as a “little bitch” during the conversation with fellow council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, the outlet reported. De Leon then allegedly appeared to compare Bonin’s handling of his son to Martinez holding a Louis Vuitton bag.
“Su negrito, like on the side,” Martinez said, a Spanish reference that is racially demeaning, the Times reported.
She also allegedly attacked Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, saying “f*ck that guy, he’s with the blacks,” the outlet reported.
Martinez announced her resignation Monday afternoon after facing backlash from fellow council members and the public over her remarks. She expressed remorse in the statement and apologized to Bonin and his son.
“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I’m so sorry,” she said. “I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially 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 so sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.”
NEWS: “I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council,” @CD6Nury. https://t.co/3EGYquZDH0 pic.twitter.com/Sm11uj9jIw
— Benjamin Oreskes🦅 (@boreskes) October 10, 2022
Prior to the resignation, Bonin and his family issued a statement Sunday and called the remarks “vile, abhorrent and utterly disgraceful.”
“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. It’s vile, abhorrent, and utterly disgraceful,” he said. “The City Council needs to remove her as Council President immediately, and she needs to resign from office. Any parents reading her comments will know she is unfit for public office.”
“We love our son, a beautiful, joyful child, and out family is hurting today. No chid should ever be subjected to such racist, mean and dehumanizing comments, especially from a public official. It is painful to know he will someday read these comments. We are equally angry and disgusted by the ugly racist comments about our son from Kevin De Leon and Ron Herrera, who should also resign their posts, and by the tacit acceptance of those remarks from Gil Cedillo.”
Our family statement about today’s ugly and hateful news. pic.twitter.com/0fPPXwsS5B
— Mike Bonin (@mikebonin) October 9, 2022
After the audio leaked, Martinez apologized for the remarks by explaining that she took out her frustrations on other council members, the outlet reported. She said the conversation revolved around the redistricting process and how it may negatively impact communities of color. (RELATED: ‘Treat Them Like Shit’: Democrat Running For Senate Goes On Racist Rant)
“In a moment of intense frustration and anger, I let the situation get the best of me and I hold myself accountable for these comments. For that I am sorry,” she said. “The context of this conversation was concern over the redistricting process and concern about the potential negative impact it might have on communities of color. My work speaks for itself. I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.”
De Leon also called their remarks “wholly inappropriate” and said he reached out to the colleague personally to apologize, the outlet reported.
“I regret appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and his family in private,” he said. “I’ve reached out to that colleague personally.”
Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti condemned the remarks, but did not express an opinion on whether the council members should resign, the Times reported.
Julie Gutman Dickinson, a lawyer representing the L.A. County Federation of Labor, said the recording of that conversation violated California’s privacy and recording laws, the outlet reported.