March 14, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Nury Martinez and Ron Herrera Resign as Fallout Continues in LA City Council Scandal Continues

Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon still in office as of Thursday afternoon

By Dolores Quintana

Condemnations against the racist statements made by former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez, City Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon and LA Labor Federation President Ron Herrera have only continued, grown louder and have now been issued from the highest levels of our government. 

More information has been extracted from the full recording and listeners have found that Martinez also mocked Armenians and made a derogatory comment about Jewish people as well. 

The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce has called for their resignations and even President Joe Biden has weighed in on the subject. During the press gaggle on October 11, the President’s press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked by a reporter what Biden thought about the situation, “The President has condemned racism many times since taking office. I wonder if he’s followed the situation on the Los Angeles City Council with Nury Martinez and the leaked recording of her using racist remarks to describe a colleague’s Black son. She said today she’s taking a leave of absence, but there are others — Senator Padilla, Mayor Garcetti — who have called for her to resign.”

Jean-Pierre responded, “He’s followed this. I spoke to him about it yesterday. Look, the President is glad to see that one of the participants in that conversation has resigned, but they all should. He believes that they all should resign. The language that was used and tolerated during that conversation was unacceptable and it was appalling. They should all step down.” 

By 5:30 p.m. that same day, LA Labor County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera resigned. By 2:30 p.m. on October 12, Los Angeles Times reporter Julia Wicke reported that Nury Martinez resigned as the city council representative of District 6 with a bizarre two-page statement that never apologized for her racist and derogatory statements but apologized to her staff, city employees, constituents and her colleagues, some of whom were the targets of her scorn for leaving. She ended the lengthy note by saying, “And last, to all the little Latina girls across this city – I hope I have inspired you beyond that which you can see.” and a request for “space and privacy” as she “looks inward and reflects.” The backlash against her for this self-congratulatory message began almost immediately. 

Even before resigning, Martinez was a no-show at the October 11 City Council meeting which was full of angry protesters calling for the resignation of everyone involved in the scandal. Both the October 11 and 12 City Council meetings were shut down due to those protests and Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon both left the chambers shortly after arriving on October 11. Acting City Council President Pro Tem Mitch O’Farrell said that he advised Cedillo and de Leon to not show up at the October 12 meeting and that the business of the City Council cannot move forward until Cedillo and de Leon resign, as reported by Kate Cagle at Spectrum News. O’Farrell stated that neither Cedillo nor de Leon had committed to resigning.  

The only city councilmember who was allowed to speak without shouts of outrage was City Council member Mike Bonin, who agreed that all three of his colleagues must resign and spoke tearfully about how his family was affected by the leaked tape and its contents. He issued a statement on Twitter calling for all three to resign on October 12 as well. It said, “Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon, Gil Cedillo: Governance of this beautiful city is untenable as long as you are on the council. Healing is impossible as long as you remain in office. Resign. Now.” He has also stated that anyone who hasn’t called for their resignation should not be considered as the next City Council President. To date, only Joe Buscaino has not called for the three’s resignations, Buscaino has only called for Nury Martinez to resign as Council President. 

Additionally, the repercussions for Cedillo, de Leon and Martinez might not end with resignation. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced via Twitter that the California Department of Justice “will investigate Los Angeles’ redistricting process. The leaked audio has cast doubt on a cornerstone of our political processes. We will endeavor to bring the truth to light to help restore confidence in the process for the people of our state.”

The City Council meeting on October 14 has been canceled and the outstanding agenda items have been moved to the meeting on October 18.

in News
Related Posts

The Ebell of Los Angeles Celebrates Women’s History Month with Inspiring Events, Art, and Performances

March 13, 2025

March 13, 2025

The Month-Long Celebration Honors the Contributions and Resilience of Women In honor of Women’s History Month, The Ebell of Los...

(Video) Baltaire’s Amazing 10th Anniversary Party

March 13, 2025

March 13, 2025

The Greek Salad prepared table side. Bluefin Toro with Crispy Rice, wasabi, spicy mayo, pickled ginger. Chateaubriand, 16 oz, with...

(Video) Wildfire Attorney. Law Offices of Allen Farshi

March 13, 2025

March 13, 2025

How The Law Offices of Allen Farshi Can Safeguard You Amid Wildfire Loss. For more information, check out the video...

Baltaire Celebrates 10 Years with a ‘Decade of Decadence’ Anniversary Bash On Saturday

March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

Brentwood’s Iconic Steakhouse Marked a Milestone With an Unforgettable Night of Fine Dining Last Saturday night was the official party...

(Video) H&H Bagels Now Open in Santa Monica

March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

The New York Bagel Spot finally arrived at 710 Montana to crowds and long lines. Here’s that bagel sandwich goodness....

The Ultimate Guide to St. Patrick’s Day 2025 in West Los Angeles, Where to Eat, Drink & Party

March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

From Irish-Inspired Brunches to Green Beer Towers & Drag Bingo, We’ve Got You Covered Los Angeles is going all out...

Eat + Drink West Hollywood Returns for a Month-Long Culinary Celebration

March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

Dine, Drink, and Support Hospitality Workers Affected by Wildfires Eat + Drink West Hollywood is making a grand return this...

Michelin Unveils Newest Additions to Its California Guide, Seven Los Angeles Restaurants Recognized

March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

Exciting New Dining Destinations Join the Michelin Selection in Los Angeles, Culver City, Santa Monica ​The Michelin Guide has recently...

Flux Screening Series Returns with Daring Short Films and Music Videos at the Hammer Museum

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

Experience Avant Garde Cinema, Live Filmmaker Presentations, and Guest DJ Sonrista The Flux Screening Series is set to bring the...

Brazen Burglars Target Pico Robertson Businesses in Early Morning Heist

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

Smash-and-Grab Crew Ransacks Kosher Pizza Shop and Pharmacy A trio of burglars wearing hooded sweatshirts ransacked a pizza shop and...

Brentwood Weekly Crime Report: February 25, 2025 – March 2, 2025

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

SLO Kirk Publishes Stats for the Last Week of Feb. to Early March By Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk Senior...

Menendez Family Blasts DA Hochman’s Decision, Calls for Justice in Resentencing Review

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

The Justice for Lyle and Erik Coalition Condemns District Attorney Hochman The family of Lyle and Erik Menendez has condemned...

Evacuation Warnings Issued for LA Burn Areas, PCH Closure Announced as Storm Approaches

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

Residents in High-Risk Zones Urged to Prepare for Possible Mudslides Officials have issued evacuation warnings for multiple areas in Los...

First Measles Case of 2025 Confirmed in LA County Amid Growing Outbreak in the United States

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

Health Officials Urge Vaccination and Symptom Monitoring for Unvaccinated Residents ​The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) has...

Security Guard Shoots Suspect Who Crashed Car Into L.A. Dispensary

March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025

Masked Suspect Drove Into a Marijuana Dispensary in Sawtelle  Armed security at a marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles’ Sawtelle neighborhood...