OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:35 PM PT – Monday, October 10, 2022
The President of the Los Angeles City Council has resigned from her post after a leaked audio recording revealed her making racist remarks.
Nury Martinez announced that she was stepping down as Council President on Monday. Her resignation is due to backlash she was receiving for criticizing councilman Mike Bonin’s adopted Black son.
On Sunday, a leaked audio recording from October 2021 between Martinez and other leaders resurfaced. In the video she recalled an MLK parade that Bonin and his son attended. She referred to the boy as a monkey in Spanish.
“The kid is bouncing off the effing walls on the float, practically tipping it over,” Martinez said. “There’s nothing you can do to control him, parece changuito. I’m just like, omg.”
Additionally, Martinez said the kid needs a beat down and suggested taking him around the corner and then bringing him back.
In a statement Sunday, Bonin said the council is appalled, angry and absolutely disgusted that Martinez attacked his son with horrific racist slurs. He also brought up her desire to physically harm his son.
Councilman Kevin de León, who was also part of the conversation, criticized Bonin by saying that he won’t ever say a word about Latinos. De León issued an apology on Sunday. He said that his comments were inappropriate and that he regrets appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and their family.
Political analyst Ange-Marie Hancock discussed the repercussions of the scandal. She called the remarks extremely damaging.
“The racial remarks were extremely damaging, in terms of, each of these people representing the entire city of Los Angeles,” she said. “Certainly they represent their districts, and it’s not clear whether or not their voters will hold them accountable.
Several council members have called their remarks unacceptable. One council member said that the remarks were was racist, homophobic and deeply cruel.
In the meantime Martinez, who still remains a member of the council, released a statement apologizing. She said that in a moment of intense frustration and anger she let the situation get the best of her. She went on to state that there are no excuses for her remarks.
Be the first to comment