Los Angeles official takes leave of absence as racist comments roil city

2:01 pm Wednesday, October 12th, 2022

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A Los Angeles city councilwoman day took a leave of absence from her post on Tuesday as a furor raged around her and two colleagues over racist comments she was heard making on an audiotape of their private conversation.

Democrat Nury Martinez, who resigned her leadership post a day earlier, announced her leave of absence in a statement issued before the regularly scheduled council meeting.

“This has been one of the most difficult times of my life and I recognize this is entirely of my own making,” Martinez, 49, said in the statement.” At this moment, I need to take a leave of absence and take some time to have an honest and heartfelt conversation with my family, my constituents, and community leaders.”

Council members Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo, who were heard on the recorded call along with local labor leader Ron Herrera, have issued apologies for their part in the inflammatory conversation but have defied calls to step down.

A White House spokeswoman said on Tuesday that U.S. President Joe Biden believed that all three should resign.

“He believes that they all should resign. The language that was used and tolerated during that conversation was unacceptable, and it was appalling. They should all step down,” Karine Jean-Pierre told a White House briefing.

Both Cedillo and de Leon left the council meeting as raucous protesters demanded their resignation.

Herrera resigned on Monday night from his position as president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The recorded conversation took place in October 2021 but came to light only this week after it was posted on a Reddit message board and reported by the Times.

Martinez is heard on the tape saying that council member Mike Bonin, who is white, treated his Black son as if he were an “accessory” and compared him to a “changuito,” which translates roughly as “little monkey.”

Martinez also disparaged Mexicans from Oaxaca and voiced her displeasure with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, saying “he’s with the Blacks.”

Martinez was first elected to the city council in 2013 and became president in 2020.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by David Gregorio)