LA City Council ex-president resigns from her seat after pressure over racist remarks

Former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has resigned from her council seat, a day after stepping down as the president of the council over racist comments caught on tape. 

Martinez informed her decision via a press release on Wednesday after an audiotape went viral where she could be heard making racist remarks to belittle her council colleagues and their children. 

“It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council district 6, the community I grew up in and my home,” said Martinez in the statement. 

As reported by WION, Martinez resigned from the top council post on Monday and took a holiday on Tuesday but the incessant pressure from all quarters forced her to give up the council seat on Wednesday 

Reportedly, apart from the public, the top Democrats including President Joe Biden called on her and other two council members to resign altogether from the council. 

Taking responsibility for her actions, Martinez on Monday said there were no excuses for her actions. 

“I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean, and your son," she said in a statement released by her office. 

In the leaked tape, which was recorded more than a year ago and remained private until Sunday, Martinez referred to Councilman Mike Bonin’s son as “Parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.”

“They’re raising him like a little white kid which I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner and then I’ll bring him back," she could be heard saying. 

Additionally, in a conversation with Council members Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, the former LA Council chief referred to Bonin as a “little b***h”. 

Up until reports came in last, Cedillo and de León remained on the council.