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Nury Martinez has resigned, effective immediately, as Los Angeles City Council president after she was caught uttering racist statements on a leaked audio tape.

In a statement issued on Monday, October 10, Martinez wrote:

“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words…”

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In the audio, Martinez, and council members Kevin de Leon (pictured left) and Gil Cedillo (not pictured) are heard in a heated dialogue in 2021.

They argued about the redistricting process to give more voting power to Latinos and less to Black voters.

Martinez, who is a Democrat, referred to the Black son of white council member Mike Bonin as “a monkey” and another racial slur in Spanish.

Martinez recalled an incident in 2017 when Bonin brought his minor son to the MLK parade and they rode on a float together.

“And there’s this white guy with this little Black kid who’s misbehaved. He’s practically bouncing off the effing walls on the float. Practically tipping it over… They’re raising him like a little white kid,” Martinez said. “I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner, and then I’ll bring him back.”

In a statement issued on Monday, Bonin said his family was “appalled, angry and absolutely disgusted” by Martinez’s comments in the audio. He called for Martinez and de Leon to resign.

Martinez also made a derogatory remark about Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. “F**k that guy. He’s with the Blacks,” she said.

The LAPD sent a small army of police to protect Martinez’s home on Sunday night after a crowd of protesters gathered outside the house.