Nury Martinez resigns from Los Angeles City Council after leaked audio of racist remarks
Former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned from her position on Wednesday.
The decision comes in the wake of a massive scandal that rocked the city council over the weekend, when a racially-charged conversation from Oct. 2021 involving Martinez and several other councilmembers was leaked to the public.
"It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home," a lengthy written statement said. "To my staff — I'm sorry that we're ending it this way. This is no reflection on you. I know you all will continue to do great work and fight for our district. I'll be cheering you on."
Martinez, along with fellow councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and Ron Herrera, the president of Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, can be heard making racist comments targeting Councilman Mike Bonin's two-year-old Black son, as well as several other ethnic groups.
Bonin responded to the situation during an impassioned speech at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
She had already stepped down from her presidency on Monday, in the hours after the audio was first leaked, though had yet to indicate whether she would remove herself entirely from the council — despite calls from the public and a number of prominent political officials to do so.
In the moments after her resignation, Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a statement which read:
"Nury made the right decision, one that I realize is painful to her personally but unquestionably in the best interests of a city that I know she loves. Racism and hateful words cannot ever be overlooked by our community or within one's self, and she needs the time and space to reflect, make amends, and move forward with her life. Her two former colleagues must arrive at the same decision soon, because Angelenos deserve a government focused squarely on meeting challenges in their neighborhoods that are too serious to risk a paralyzed City Council."
California Governor Gavin Newsom also released a statement.
"This is the right move. Again, these comments have no place in our state, or in our politics, and we must all model better behavior to live the values that so many of us fight every day to protect."
Other councilmembers came forward to announce their support of Martinez, including District 7 Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who also called for the additional resignation of de León and Cedillo.
In her absence, Councilman Mitch O'Farrell has taken over as the presidency as pro tempore, after being voted into the role in 2021. Just minutes after her resignation was announced, he also called for the others involved to step down from their positions, saying, "There is no other way forward."
Martinez's full statement can be read below:
"It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home.
When I ran in 2013, I wanted to see a change in my community and fight for my neighbors. That is what it has been about all along. No one expected me to win, but with the support of residents throughout the district I overcame that challenge and won the seat for Council District 6. I had the honor of serving in the role of a lifetime: being the representative for my neighbors.
Over the last 9 years, I've had the honor of working with communities across Los Angeles to fight for policies that uplift working families. For the families who can't make it out of poverty, struggling everyday, you are the reason why I get up in the morning and do what I do. To represent and fight for the people who don't have a voice. To the workers, the housekeepers, the nannies, to the people who get up to ride the bus to work in the morning. You have been the backbone of our city throughout this pandemic, but you were the backbone long before. I went to work for you. You have been my mission and my guiding principle.
The last, almost three years, have been unimaginably difficult. When I was elected President of the Council, I served for three months before the pandemic came crashing down. As the first Latina Council President, I strived to serve with compassion and to give a larger platform to the communities I felt had been left behind.
This Council has made a difference in the lives of millions across the city. We launched the largest renters relief program in the nation, brought equity in our city's budget, created tenant protections, pushed for equality for women in the workplace, worked to phase out of oil, created a new department around families and community investment, created the largest guaranteed basic income program in the country, launched a new homeowner program, fought for human trafficking victims, and so much more. In Council District 6, we planned the revitalization of the Sepulveda Basin and the Van Nuys Civic Center, we distributed thousands of boxes at our monthly food and diaper giveaways, rented out laundromats for families in need and led the way in building housing for our homeless neighbors in the Valley.
To my constituents - Serving you has been a privilege and one that I don't give up lightly. You are my neighbors, my friends, and the reason for this service. Throughout these 9 years, we've been able to work together to fix our parks, our streets, our sidewalks, and improve the overall quality of life for our neighborhoods. I hope you stay engaged and continue to fight for your fair share of the city's resources. It's hard to say goodbye, but please know that I was in this fight for you.
To my colleagues - I know we've had a hard couple of years and I know this work hasn't always been easy for us. My only goal as Council President has been to champion a families first agenda that we can all be proud of. Each of you have worked hard on policies and programs that uplift Angelenos across this city. I hope that this work continues and that workers and working class families remain in the forefront of the priorities of this Council. While I leave with a heavy heart, know that I wish you all the best and I have faith in your strength to unite this city.
To the City employees - you have been my second family. From the start of my presidency, you rallied around me and embraced my families first agenda. You work hard every day and show up for this City's residents. During the pandemic, when everyone stayed safe at home, you came to work, you delivered services, you became disaster workers, essential workers, and you got this city through our hardest times. I thank you and this city thanks you.
To my staff - I'm sorry that we're ending it this way. This is no reflection on you. I know you all will continue to do great work and fight for our district. I'll be cheering you on.
To my family, to my daughter, and to my mom - You have been my support system, my shoulder to cry on, and my biggest cheerleaders throughout my time in office. There have been many long nights, dinners missed, homework not checked over, dishes not washed because of this role that I took on. To my husband, my right hand man and my confidant, I cannot thank you enough for being my partner through this. To my daughter, I know I have fallen short recently of the expectations we have for our family. I vow to you that I will strive to be a better woman to make you proud. To my mom, you give me strength and you center me. I've only ever wanted to make you proud. To my sister, thank you for all you do, you have stepped in to take care of our family when I could not be there. To my dad in heaven, siempre serás mi inspiración.
And last, to all little Latina girls across this city - I hope I've inspired you to dream beyond that which you can see.
While I take the time to look inwards and reflect, I ask that you give me space and privacy."