Nury Martinez has reportedly stepped down from her role as President of the Los Angeles City Council.
“It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home,” Martinez stated.
Martinez and several other members of the Los Angeles City Council faced intense scrutiny after a recording of a private conversation was leaked to the public. Throughout the call, Martinez and a number of her colleagues made a number of racist and derogatory comments. She referred to the Indigenous residents of Oaxaca as “ugly” and “short, little, dark people.” Alongside fellow councilmember and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, she also referred to the son of councilmember Mike Bonin as a little monkey and a lawn jockey.
Acting Los Angeles City Council President Mitch O’Farrell is now calling on others who participated in the leaked conversation to resign.
“For Los Angeles to heal, and for its City Council to govern, there must be accountability,” O’Farrell said.
“The resignation of Councilmember Nury Martinez is the first, necessary step in that process. To that end, I repeat my call on Councilmembers de Leon and Cedillo to also resign. There is no other way forward.”
In addition to calls for council members to resign, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has also announced that he will investigate the city council’s recent decision to redistrict the city.
