The now-former President of the Los Angeles City Council Nury Martinez resigned from her role after reports revealed an audio recording that captured unabashedly racist comments made by Martinez with other Latino members of the council last year.
According to Fox News, some of these comments were directed at a white colleague’s black son.
The Los Angeles Times said in a Sunday report that during an October 2021 conversation, Martinez told council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, and L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera.
The Times reported that Martinez criticized a colleague, City Council member Mike Bonin, a white man, over his parenting of his black son. She claimed that Bonin treated him like an “accessory.”
She reportedly said that Councilman Bonin’s son “parece changuito,” or is “like a monkey,” according to The LA Times.
“They’re raising him like a little White kid,” Martinez said, in the damning recording that leaked onto Reddit.
“I was like, ‘This kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner, and then I’ll bring him back.”‘
Martinez also reportedly mocked Oaxacans from Mexico and said “F— that guy … He’s with the Blacks,” regarding Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
“I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council,” she said in a statement.
“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I am so sorry,” Martinez said in a follow-up apology statement on Monday.
“I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean and your son. As a mother, I know better, and I am sorry. I am truly ashamed. I know this is the result of my own actions. I am sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.”