Nury Martinez, the former president of the Los Angeles City Council, on Wednesday, resigned from public office. An audio emerged earlier this week, in which she and three other LA leaders were heard making racist remarks.
Martinez announced her decision hours after Attorney General Rob Bonta said he would investigate the incident and the redistricting process that the three council members discussed with a labor leader about.
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Council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera were a part of the discussion.
“I know I have fallen short recently of the expectations we have for our family. I vow to you that I will strive to be a better woman to make you proud,” Martinez said. The 49-year-old stepped down as the council president on Monday.
She made racist remarks about the Black son of a white councilman and other crude comments.
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Martinez said that a white councilmember, Mike Bonin, handled his young Black son as though he were an ‘accessory’. She described him as ‘Parece changuito’ or ‘like a monkey’, the LA Times reported.
She also referred to Bonin as a ‘little bitch’.
Who resigned after the audio leak?
Ron Herrera: The 58-year-old labor union leader resigned at a meeting Monday, the union said in a statement. It also called on elected officials who were present when the racist remarks were made to step down as well.
Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León have not resigned from the LA City Council yet.
Martinez and de León issued an apology Sunday.
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“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,” Martinez 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,” the statement said. “My work speaks for itself. I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.”
“There were comments made in the context of this meeting that are wholly inappropriate; and I regret appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and his family in private. I’ve reached out to that colleague personally,” he said. “On that day, I fell short of the expectations we set for our leaders — and I will hold myself to a higher standard,” Leon said.