The Los Angeles City Council canceled its Friday meeting amid demands for the resignation of two council members. The two members were heard on a recording leaked online where former LA City Council President Nury Martinez allegedly made offensive and racist comments about fellow council members while the three were discussing redistricting.
Interim Los Angeles City Council President Mitch O'Farrell, rear center, speaks before the cancellation of the Los Angeles City Council meeting Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Martinez resigned from the council on Wednesday after the recording emerged of her allegedly making the offensive comments. Earlier in the week, she resigned from her position as council president and had announced she would be taking a leave of absence.
Protesters and other council members are now calling for the two other members on the recording, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo, to resign as well.
"Without two more resignations, we cannot proceed with tomorrow's City Council meeting. Instead, I plan to be out in my district, meeting with and listening to constituents. I encourage my colleagues to do the same," Acting City Council President Mitch O'Farrell said in a Tweet.
Acting Los Angeles City Council President Mitch O'Farrell, right, leaves a news conference, Oct. 13, 2022, in Los Angeles. Two Los Angeles City Council members are resisting growing pressure to resign after a recording surfaced of them joining in bare-knuckles banter during a private meeting where a colleague made racist remarks. O'Farrell said members couldn't conduct business until the two step down.
David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP
A City Council meeting on Wednesday was adjourned before it even began as protestors in the chamber demanded the resignations of all three members on the recording, chanting "no resignation, no meeting" and "step down or we shut down." Martinez's resignation came hours later.
In a recording posted on Reddit last weekend, Martinez was caught making racist and offensive comments about a fellow council member's son. The Los Angeles Times reviewed the recording and confirmed it was authentic. ABC News has not independently confirmed the authenticity of the recording.
Martinez allegedly referred to white council member Mike Bonin's son, who is Black, as an "accessory."
She is also heard allegedly describing Bonin's young son as "parece changuito," or "like a monkey." In several statements later, Martinez apologized to her colleagues, Bonin and his family.
The recording that captured the racist comments was made while the three council members were discussing redistricting. The California Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it is launching an investigation into the LA City Council redistricting process.
"The leaked audio has cast doubt on a cornerstone of our political processes for Los Angeles," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. "Given these unique circumstances, my office will investigate to gather the facts, work to determine the truth, and take action, as necessary, to ensure the fair application of our laws. We will endeavor to bring the truth to light as part of the sorely-needed work to restore confidence in the redistricting process for the people of our state."
The council is scheduled to return on Tuesday.
