California Latino lawmakers demand resignations of L.A. council members over racist remarks
Latino state lawmakers demanded the resignations of three of California’s most powerful Hispanic politicians on Monday, condemning racist remarks by Los Angeles City Council members that became public in an audio recording of their conversation.
The recording, documented by the Los Angeles Times, revealed City Council members Nury Martinez, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo discussing the city’s redistricting and their efforts to retain Latino political power. Martinez described a white councilman’s Black son with the phrase “parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.”
The conversation took place about a year ago and involved all three council members and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera.
Martinez stepped down from her position as president of the City Council on Monday morning.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and mayoral candidates Rep. Karen Bass and Rick Caruso have also called on the council members to resign. Padilla is California first Latino U.S. senator, and he was the first Latino to be elected president of the Los Angeles City Council.
The California Democratic Party and Los Angeles Democratic Party also called for the members to step down.
As of Monday night, six Latino Caucus members had called for resignations. The caucus is influential in the Legislature, with 30 members, including nine senators and 21 assembly members.
Los Angeles Councilman de León recently was a leader in the caucus. He was the California Senate president pro tempore from 2014 to 2018.
Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, chair of the caucus, released a statement Monday night, calling for the council members’ resignations. She replaced de León after he termed out of his Senate seat in 2018.
“Throughout our lives, we have each been subjected to racism,” Durazo wrote in a statement. “We have each been frustrated, marginalized and patronized. We have each overcome barriers. But, no amount of racist abuse justifies a racist response. We are ashamed by what was said....As elected officials, we believe it is our responsibility to ask Council members Martinez., de León and Cedillo to resign from office immediately.”
Durazo also said she believed in “redemption” and invited the council members to participate “as we use all of our energy to build a community of the beloved.”
Assemblywoman Luz Rivas, D-San Fernando Valley was the first Latino Caucus member to call for resignations early Monday afternoon.
“More must be done to hold every council member involved to the highest standards of public office possible, and held accountable for their inexcusable actions. That’s why I’m calling on the resignation of all city council members involved in making the inflammatory and racist comments,” Rivas said in a statement on Twitter.
Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, followed a few hours later.
“ I was outraged by the utterly excusable comments made by Los Angeles City Councilmembers that were made public by the press. As a Latina member, I believe it is particularly important we combat these abhorrent beliefs and actions within our Latino community.,” said Cervantes in a statement on Twitter. “
Assemblywoman Wendy Carillo, D-Los Angeles who initially only condemed the statements, later released a statement also asking for resignations to occur. Assemblyman Robert Rivas, D-Salinas replied to a comment on his Twitter statement, saying the members should resign as well.
Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach joined the demands later on Monday, by telling all three elected officials to “resign now.”
Other Latino lawmakers, including Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senator Susan Talamentes Eggman, condemned the remarks but stopped short of calling for resignations.
Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, who is not a member of the caucus, is the most recent Latino assembly member to demand resignations.
“The derogatory and racist comments by members of the LA City Council are intolerable,” Valladares said on Twitter. “How can we trust they will represent the best interests and diversity of LA? We can’t. They’ve proven they cannot serve all people fairly and without prejudice, so they must resign immediately.”
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 4:19 PM with the headline "California Latino lawmakers demand resignations of L.A. council members over racist remarks."
