Leaked audio shows Los Angeles City councilmembers making racist remarks
Matt Hewumhofer, left, an attorney representing L.A. Alliance, greets Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez on Sept. 12. Photo: Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Three Los Angeles City Council members and a top county labor official made racist remarks about their colleagues during a conversation last fall, according to leaked audio obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Driving the news: Council President Nury Martinez during the meeting referred to a white councilman's child, who is Black, as “ese changuito,” or that little monkey, per the Los Angeles Times.
- Martinez also reportedly said that the councilman handled his son as though he were an "accessory."
- Martinez also during the meeting referred to Mike Bonin, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, on one occasion as a "little bitch."
- “Mike Bonin won’t f—ing ever say peep about Latinos. He’ll never say a f—ing word about us,” Kevin de León, another member of the council, also reportedly said.
What they're saying: Martinez apologized for the remarks in a statement on Sunday, saying: "In a moment of intense frustration and anger, I let the situation get the best of me and I hold myself accountable for these comments. For that I am sorry."
- "The context of this conversation was concern over the redistricting process and concern about the potential negative impact it might have on communities of color," she said in a statement.
- "My work speaks for itself. I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time."
The big picture: The conversation was in October 2021 and it largely centered on frustration over maps that had been proposed by the city's redistricting commission, per the L.A. Times.