California AG Bonta investigating LA City Council scandal

Protesters disrupt LA City Council meeting amid scandal

Hundreds of rowdy protesters gathered at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles to make their voices heard after a scandal involving racist comments made by former LA City Council president Nury Martinez.

LOS ANGELES - Protests erupted as Los Angeles City Council met Tuesday for the first time since Nury Martinez resigned as its president.

Nury Martinez announces leave of absence from Los Angeles City Council

Martinez announced her leave of absence the day after she stepped down as LA City Council's president amid a scandal involving racist remarks.

Large crowds gathered outside and inside City Hall as the meeting was set to begin. The crowd continued to prevent the meeting from starting, with some shouting, "Shut it down."

Martinez resigned from her leadership position Monday, a day after the release of a recorded conversation with Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera that involved racial slurs directed at Councilman Mike Bonin's son and discussions on how the council members could impact the redistricting process to work in their favor.

The council will elect a new president next Tuesday, Oct. 18.

With Martinez stepping down, Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, the council president pro tempore, was elevated to interim council president.

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O'Farrell was among the many council members and other elected officials saying Martinez, de León and Cedillo should all resign from the council.

"I don't see how that presence continuing in city leadership is going to allow the city to move forward," O'Farrell said Monday. "... I just think that that presence will continue to be an obstacle if it is still there in the halls of power at City Hall. Angelenos deserve better."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta confirmed his office is investigating the scandal.

"We are assessing the nexus between what occurred, or may have occurred, and our duties and obligations to conduct an investigation, to get to the truth, to gather the facts, and apply the law to it. So, we are in that process now. We are looking. We do not have anything to announce at this time and, if and when we do, we will share it," a statement to FOX 11 read.

Martinez, 49, has served on the council since 2013 and represents the Sixth District in the San Fernando Valley. She is the second Latina to serve on the council and was its only female member when she was elected. Six years later, she became the first Latina to become president of the City Council when she was elected in 2019, replacing long-time President Herb Wesson.

Prior to being elected to the council, Martinez served on the San Fernando City Council from 2003-09 and the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education from 2009-2013.