LA City Council President Nury Martinez Resigns In Shame After Racist Remarks Revealed
Council President Nury Martinez during a public hearing at City Hall on Aug. 30, 2022 in Los Angeles | Source: Irfan Khan / Getty
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has resigned after a secret recording revealed her racist attitude toward Black people.
In a statement announcing her resignation, Martinez didn’t deny calling a Black child a “monkey” and said she took “responsibility” for her own words. “I’m so sorry,” Martinez wrote in the statement on Monday.
NEWS: "I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council," @CD6Nury. https://t.co/3EGYquZDH0 pic.twitter.com/Sm11uj9jIw
— Benjamin Oreskes (@boreskes) October 10, 2022
The truth is that the second a government official proves themself to be anti-Black through racist language, they have essentially proven themselves to be useless to the Black community. This goes for cops, senators, mayors, presidents, city council members and, of course, city council presidents. How can we ever trust any non-Black politician we’ve heard say some anti-Black racist sh**?
This is why Black and brown L.A. citizens were calling for the resignation of Martinez, who was recorded during a conversation with two colleagues, in which she called the Black son of fellow Councilman Mike Bonin a “little monkey” who deserves a “beatdown” for his behavior. She also allegedly said “f*ck” Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón because “he’s with the Blacks.”
In leaked audio, Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez says of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón: “Fuck that guy, he’s with the Blacks.”https://t.co/RY0DbwZkAE
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 9, 2022
Do you meant to tell me that these ass wipes that make racist policies and comments in broad daylight are also racist behind closed doors? Who could have guessed?https://t.co/zNYBEOUBL4
— Brittani Nichols (@BisHilarious) October 9, 2022
Four Latino "leaders" — Nury Martinez, Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Ron Herrera — have been exposed making racist comments and plotting to dilute Black political power in L.A.
It's only renewed a deep fear. That it's us vs. them.
My take on this mess.https://t.co/6RcgqHznbC
— Erika D. Smith (@Erika_D_Smith) October 10, 2022
Martinez admitted on Sunday to making the comments and said she was “holding myself accountable” for her remarks—just after blaming them on her “frustration” and “anger,” as opposed to her blatant racism. But that statement did not include any reference to the possibility of her resignation.
NEW: @CD6Nury has issued a statement apologizing for comments she made in a leaked audio recording, which was obtained by the @latimes. In it she makes racist remarks about @mikebonin's son among other things. https://t.co/3EGYquZDH0 pic.twitter.com/77BqOYFSOB
— Benjamin Oreskes (@boreskes) October 9, 2022
Apparently, not many people bought the lackluster mea culpa coming from a demonstrable racist who expressed violent wishes toward a Black toddler. So, instead of accepting her Dollar Store apology, Black and brown people protested outside of her home and called for her to step down.
Outside the home of LA City Council President Nury Martinez, protesters are asking for her resignation and playing the leaked recordings on a loudspeaker. pic.twitter.com/PJNgXOpfQG
— Jon peltz (@JonnyPeltz) October 10, 2022
Protesters gathered outside the home of Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and called on her to resign on Sunday, after a year-old audio recording emerged of her making racist remarks about a council member's Black son. https://t.co/tZeazJH3UF pic.twitter.com/myrmVXEtvH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 10, 2022
Protest against Nury Martinez. Latino community stands with Black Angelinos. https://t.co/4sp8COAiaY
— Verôtica (@OPJelloBear) October 10, 2022
Hugo Soto-Martinez, who is running for city council in 2022, and Kenneth Mejia, who is running for LA City Controller, both put out a statement on Twitter calling for Martinez to resign.
We call on Council President Nury Martinez to resign, and we want a full and thorough investigation into who else was part of this, and how deeply this is rooted into the foundation of City Hall. pic.twitter.com/jqqmlTgGJf
— Hugo Soto-Martínez (@HugoForCD13) October 9, 2022
This backdoor conversation confirms what many have long known about Los Angeles: LA City Council maintains a status quo of racism and power hoarding to benefit themselves at the expense of the people.
We need new leadership.
Nury Martinez must resign.
— Kenneth Mejia, CPA (@kennethmejiaLA) October 9, 2022
Reflexively, Martinez’s remarks, along with that of her colleagues, City Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, serve as a swift reminder that anti-Blackness isn’t exclusive to racist white people and that people of color can harbor these sentiments just as easily. That’s why it’s at least somewhat reassuring to see Black and brown people in LA. standing together in their bid for Martinez to go away.
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”—Maya Angelou.
SEE ALSO:
Op-Ed: The Census Fails To Capture Racial Diversity Among Latinos
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