Black Lives Matter activists continued to place pressure on two additional council members to leave the council altogether after a leaked taping of racist comments made by Latino members of the Los Angeles City Council.
These council members were removed from their committee seats.
Shocking Racist Comments
According to the Los Angeles Times, council members Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo were removed from committee responsibilities related to housing, homelessness, and other issues.
On Monday, Mitch O’Farrell, the acting president of the Los Angeles City Council, made the declaration. Following Nury Martinez’s resignation as Los Angeles City Council president and subsequent forfeiture of her seat on the council last week, the decision was announced.
Ron Herrera, the influential union leader who presided over the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, also announced his resignation. Protesters for Black Lives Matter have gathered in front of de León’s Eagle Rock residence.
According to KNBC, BLM leaders want the council to “show its dedication to black political participation and social and racial reconciliation” by replacing Martinez with one of its African American members.
New: Nury Martinez resigned her seat on the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday, days after the release of an explosive leaked audio of a racist, crude conversation.https://t.co/qDC27gSv77
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 12, 2022
Tuesday will be the day for the leadership vote after councilmembers Curren Price and Paul Krekorian both indicated an interest in succeeding the current president. On Sunday, Krekorian had a COVID-19 positive test; he will participate remotely.
The audio clip of a discussion between Martinez, Cedillo, de León, and Herrera in October 2021 during which they discussed redistricting was first made public by The Los Angeles Times last week.
Martinez lambasted Councilor Mike Bonin, a white coworker, for the way he raised his black kid, whom she claimed Bonin regarded like an “accessory,” as reported by the Times.
According to the tape that was published on Reddit, Martinez added, “They’re rearing him like a small white kid. I said let me carry him around the corner and after that, I’ll return him. This kid needs to get beat up.”
Martinez also referred to Bonin’s child as “that small monkey,” or “ese changuito,” in Spanish.
De León said that Bonin’s treatment of the toddler was similar to “when Nury takes her tiny yard handbag or the Louis Vuitton bag,” and Martinez said, “Su negrito, like to the side.”
Whoever created or released the recording is unknown.
Good. About time Racist Af Dems we’re held accountable https://t.co/FHP7EuGq5s
— PatriotDon ☢️☢️☢️ (@MagaLoDon47) October 18, 2022
De León asserted, “Mike Bonin won’t f—-ing ever speak anything about Latinos. He’ll never f—-ing say anything about us.”
Martinez also mocked George Gascón, the district attorney for Los Angeles County, stating, “He’s only with blacks.”
On Saturday, hundreds of Indigenous people demonstrated in support of de León and Cedillo’s resignation. In the audio, Martinez can be heard calling Oaxacans “small, short dark people.”
De León and Cedillo Refuse to Resign
De León and Cedillo have refused to budge, despite repeated requests from political leaders, particularly President Biden, for their removal. All four people who took part in the conversation have apologized for their participation.
