By Mary O’KEEFE

Los Angeles City Council is at a standstill after a leaked recorded conversation that included derogatory racial comments sparked protests and reactions from across the city, state and nation. The conversation was among Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon, Gil Cedillo and LA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera.

The leaked audio was initially posted on the website Reddit. City officials could be heard making several racially insensitive remarks, mocking Council colleagues and talking about the recent redistricting maps proposed by the LA City’s redistricting commission.

The recorded conversation revealed cruel and racist comments including a conversation about fellow City Councilmember Mike Bonin and his son. Bonin’s son is Black. Martinez referred to the young boy with insulting names and said Bonin was using him as “an accessory,” according to reports.

Martinez also made reference to a Martin Luther King Jr. parade that she and other Councilmembers attended including Bonin and his young son. Apparently she did not approve of the young child’s behavior on a float at the parade and shared her somewhat violent disciplinarian solution, along with cruel comments.

After the recording was released on Monday, Martinez resigned as Council president; on Tuesday she stated she would take a leave of absence from the LA City Council but did not resign. On Wednesday afternoon, Martinez resigned.

As of press time Cedillo and de León had not resigned, although calls for them to step down are getting louder.

“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments … I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, Sean and your son. As a mother, I know better and I am sorry,” Martinez said in a released statement on Monday.

“First you must resign and then ask for forgiveness,” Bonin said during a Tuesday LA City Council meeting.

Bonin was visibly emotional as he spoke to the Council on Tuesday, saying that he would rather be with his son and husband but felt he needed to be at the meeting.

“My husband and I are both raw and angry and heartbroken, and sick for our family and for Los Angeles,” he said.

Protestors were outside and inside the City Council meeting, all calling for the resignation of everyone who participated in the conversation.

The list is growing of those demanding the resignations of those involved:

On Monday, LA County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl called for the resignation all three – Martinez, Cedillo and de León.

“The racism, bigotry and cruelty revealed in this leaked audio is appalling. Words matter. The anti-Black prejudice on display in this conversation compromises the confidence any residents had in these Councilmembers’ leadership,” Hahn stated.

Also on Monday, Congressman Adam Schiff released a statement: “The blatantly racist language used by members of the Los Angeles City Council is disgusting and unconscionable. There is no excuse that can lessen the pain it has caused. And knowing this language was used about a young child makes this situation even more heartbreaking and tragic. My thoughts are with Councilmember Bonin and his family.”

In addition, the state Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday that his office would be launching an investigation into LA’s redistricting process.

Bonta also condemned the comments made during the conversation.

“There is no place for anti-Black, anti-Semitic, anti-Indigenous, anti-LGBTQ or any kind of discriminatory rhetoric in our state, especially in relation to the duties of a public official,” he stated.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger reacted to the news of the resignation and the racial slurs made by other LA City Councilmembers.

“Nury Martinez’s resignation from her City Council position was the right thing to do. Hearing the racist comments made by some of Los Angeles City’s top officials was shocking and intolerable. The public has called for – and deserves – fair and unbiased leadership. Electeds have a responsibility to lead with integrity. If you can’t do that, it’s time to go.”