Private audio conversations from 2021 revealed racist comments from Nury Martinez.
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has announced a leave of absence following the release of private audio conversations from 2021. The audio conversations revealed racist comments made about fellow Councilmember Mike Bonin.
The recording stems from a meeting about redistricting concerns in Los Angeles. “They’re raising him like a white kid. I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back,” Martinez said about Bonin’s eight-year-old son.
The comments refer to an appearance made by Bonin and his son at the 2017 MLK parade. Bonin, a white man, attended the event with his black son Jacob, who Bonin and his husband adopted through a non-profit adoption agency. Martinez can be heard calling Bonin’s son “Parece Changuito” which translates to “like a monkey.”
In addition to her disparaging remarks about Bonin, Martinez also made racist comments toward Oaxacans, indigenous people from the Oaxaca region of Mexico. “I see a lot of little short dark people,” she said per the Los Angeles Times regarding Oaxacan’s living in the Koreatown area.
She continued questioning where the Oaxacans came from, and how they arrived in Los Angeles before adding “tan feos” or “they’re ugly.”
The recording, originally leaked by an anonymous Reddit user, was obtained by the Los Angeles Times before the account got suspended. The conversation took place between Martinez and fellow Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin De Leon. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera was also present during the conversation.
In response to the conversation, many of her colleagues are calling for her immediate resignation. “Any parent reading her comments will know she is unfit for public office,” said Bonin and his husband in a statement released on Sunday. Bonin has also called for the resignation of Cedillo, De Leon and Herrera for comments they made in the recording.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti even chimed in on the matter, “There is no place in our city family for attacks on colleagues and their loved ones, and there is no place for racism anywhere in L.A.”
In response to the calls for her resignation, Martinez announced she’d be taking a leave of absence rather than resigning at the moment. “This has been one of the most difficult times of my life and I recognize this is entirely of my own making,” Martinez said.
In her statement, Martinez also said, “I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments.” Despite apologizing for the remarks and accepting responsibility, Martinez also attempted to defend herself and her work in her role. “My work speaks for itself, I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time,” she said in her statement.
The other members present during the recording, Cedillo and De Leon, have also issued apologies for their comments and involvement in the situation.
Martinez has stepped down from her position as president, but as of now, she still remains a member of the city council. Currently, it is unclear who will replace Martinez as City Council President.