President Biden calls for LA City Council members to resign over leaked racist remarks

City, community leaders call for council members at the center of leaked audio scandal to resign
City, community leaders call for council members at the center of leaked audio scandal to resign

President Joe Biden joins a long list of officials calling for the resignations of three Los Angeles City Council members involved in a recorded, racially charged conversation, with the White House press secretary saying Tuesday the president believes they should all step down.

"I spoke to him about it yesterday," Press Secretary Karine Jean- Pierre said at a White House briefing. "The president is glad to see one of the participants in that conversation has resigned, but they all should. He believes that they all should resign.

"The language that was used and tolerated during that conversation was unacceptable," she said. "It was appalling. They should all step down."

Jean-Pierre also criticized "MAGA Republicans," who she said are celebrated when they make racially tinged remarks.

"Here's the difference between Democrats and MAGA Republicans -- when a Democrat says something racist or anti-Semitic, we hold them, we hold Democrats accountable," she said. "When a MAGA Republican says something racist or anti-Semitic, they are embraced by cheering crowds and become celebrated and sought-after endorsements."

Councilman Mike Bonin addressed a large crowd gathered inside of Los Angeles City Council chambers on Tuesday, emotionally calling for the resignation of his counterparts who targeted his son in a series of racist comments leaked to the public over the weekend. 

The meeting, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., was blocked from beginning on schedule as hundreds of protestors gathered both inside and outside of LA City Hall to express their outrage over the scandal. 

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