President Nury Martinez, Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera are reportedly part of a conversation in which they disparage Councilman Mike Bonin’s child, among other comments.
In the audio, the group can be heard allegedly discussing Councilman Mike Bonin’s child. Bonan is white, and his son is Black.translated as “He’s like a monkey” She also noted that Bonin took part in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, riding on a float with several politicians along with his son and called the child “an accessory.” She went on to say that the child wasn’t behaving on the float, and claimed that she and other women had to step in and “parent this kid.
De León reportedly compared Bonin’s handling of his son to “when Nury brings her little yard bag or the Louis Vuitton bag.” He also reportedly called Bonin the “fourth Black member” of the council. published its story, Martinez issued an apology. “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,” she told the, adding: “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. My work speaks for itself. I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.
“I regret appearing to condone and even contribute to certain insensitive comments made about a colleague and his family in private,” he told thethat he didn’t recall the conversation, while Herrera didn’t respond to the Times’ requests for comment.