L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez RESIGNS After Calling Colleague's Adopted Black Child A 'Little Monkey' In Leaked Conversation
Nury Martinez
Oct. 10 2022, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned after her racist conversation with two other council members leaked online, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The shocking conversation, which was first recorded in October 2021, was led by Martinez and also featured L.A. City Council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León.
Gil Cedillo
Throughout the recording, which has since been obtained by Daily Mail, Martinez referred to her colleague, fellow council member Mike Bonin, as a “little b----” before the three council members target Bonin’s adopted Black son.
De León referred to Bonin’s son as an “accessory” that Bonin brings around L.A. like “when Nury [Martinez] brings her little yard bag or the Louis Vuitton bag.”
Even more shocking is when, later in the recording, City Council President Martinez referred to Bonin’s son as “su negrito” – a derogatory Spanish term for a Black person – and “ese changuito” – another Spanish term that translates to “that little monkey.”
Martinez, who is Latina, also suggested Bonin was raising his adopted son “like a little white kid” who needs a “beatdown.”
“Let me take him around the corner and then I'll bring him back,” the city council president “joked” to her two colleagues.
Kevin de León
After the recording was leaked online on Sunday, Martinez quickly released a statement apologizing for her overtly racist comments in which she attempted to explain the context of the conversation. On Monday, she announced she was stepping down from her position effective immediately.
“In a moment of intense frustration and anger, I let the situation get the best of me and I hold myself accountable for these comments,” Martinez said. “For that I am sorry.”
“The context of this conversation was concern over the redistricting process and concern about the potential negative impact it might have on communities of color,” she continued. “My work speaks for itself. I've worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.”
“I regret appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and his family in private,” de León said in his own separate statement also released on Sunday. “I've reached out to that colleague personally.”
Cedillo refused to acknowledge or apologize over the recording. He claimed he does not “have a recollection of this conversation.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti
Bonin, who spoke to the Los Angeles Times in the wake of the incident, said he is “disgusted and angry and heartsick” over the leaked recording.
“It's fair game to attack me, but my son? You have to be pretty petty and insecure and venomous to attack a child,” Bonin said while calling for Martinez, Cedillo and de León’s immediate resignations. “He wasn't even 3 years old.”
Bonin added, “Other than that, I'm speechless.”
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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti slammed the three city council members over the recording, but he did not reveal whether or not Martinez, Cedillo and de León should be forced to resign as a result of the leaked conversation.
“There is no place in our city family for attacks on colleagues and their loved ones, and there is no place for racism anywhere in LA,” Mayor Garcetti said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
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