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VOL. 26,
Nury Martinez resigns from LA City Council over leaked recording of racist conversation
relent. After about ez an hour, tin r a M O'Farrell ry u N er announced that mb e the meeting was being il m c n cou adjourned, with all items LA on the agenda postponed that he until Friday's scheduled advised both de meeting. León and Cedillo O'Farrell told reportn ni to not come to the ers afterward that he was o B ke Council Chamber prepared to wait as long as Mi r e Wednesday for the coun- it took to hold the meeting, Co mb e un lm cilm nci Nury's cil's scheduled meeting, and but he said the council lost an M Cou f o ike B lead." they agreed. a quorum at 11 a.m. when onin. | Photo courtesy On Tuesday, "The O'Farrell's briefing Councilman Marqueece White House press secrepresident is glad came after he was forced Harris-Dawson left the tary Karine Jean-Pierre said to see one of the participants to adjourn the council chamber. A representaPresident Joe Biden also in that conversation has meeting, with protesters tive for Harris-Dawson wanted all three council resigned, but they all should," chanting and shouting in told City News Service that members to resign, follow- Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. "He the chamber for Martinez, Harris-Dawson left because ing the lead of now-former believes that they all should De León and Cedillo to O'Farrell had "lost control of Los Angeles County Federa- resign." resign. the meeting." tion of Labor President Ron De León and Cedillo O'Farrell called several O'Farrell again called Herrera, who also took part have not yet resigned their recesses in hopes of on the council members in the 2021 conversation seats. O'Farrell said at a quieting the crowd before involved in the recorded and resigned from his post news briefing Wednesday the meeting could begin. See Nury Martinez Page 3 Monday night. before Martinez's resignation But the protesters refused to Ph ot o
the group discussed the politically sensitive process of redrawing council district boundaries. The recorded conversation was leaked, appearing on Reddit before being removed from the site. City News Service reviewed the conversation, but it was unclear who was responsible for the recording and its leak. The meeting apparently occurred at a Federation of Labor office, and the federation is investigating its source. Martinez issued a statement Monday announcing her decision to surrender the council presidency, and apologizing to Bonin, his husband Sean Arian and their son. With Martinez stepping down from her leadership role, O'Farrell, the council president pro tempore, was elevated to interim council president. He has repeatedly called for Martinez, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo -- all of whom took part in the recorded conversation -- to resign their council seats. "There is no other way forward," O'Farrell said. Following Martinez's resignation Wednesday, fellow Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson wrote on Twitter: "Gil and Kevin follow
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os Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez resigned her council seat Wednesday, days after the release of a recorded conversation from 2021 in which she made a series of racist comments. "It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home," Martinez said in a written statement Wednesday afternoon. Her lengthy statement made no direct reference to the recording that likely ended her political career, although she 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." In a statement moments after Martinez's announcement, Acting Council President Mitch O'Farrell said Martinez's resignation is the "first, necessary step in the process" of accountability. Martinez stepped down as council president on Monday, following the weekend release of the recorded conversation in which she made racist comments aimed at Councilman Mike Bonin's 2-yearold Black adopted son and at other ethnic groups while
co ur te sy of LA FD
By Eric He, City News Service