Over the past couple days we learned from leaked audio that a group of LA City Councilmembers, all of them Latino and all of them Democrats, had a discussion last year in which they mocked a fellow council member (who is white) and his adopted son (who is black) in explicitly racial terms.

The four Latino council members who participated in the discussion are Council President Nury Martinez, Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera. Nury Martinez described Mike Bonin’s black son as looking like a little monkey. Kevin de Leon commented that Bonin carried him around like a designer handbag.

Yesterday afternoon, Nury Martinez stepped down from her position as Council President but refused to heed multiple calls for her to resign from the council completely. Since then there have been a number of new developments. For one, Ron Herrera has resigned his position as LA County Federation of Labor President.

Facing outrage over a controversial leaked audio recording, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera resigned Monday night, and the organization’s remaining leaders demanded Tuesday that the three City Council members involved in the scandal submit their resignations as well…

“The Executive Board of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor also calls on those elected officials who were present to follow President Herrera’s example by immediately resigning as well,” Davis said after a meeting Monday night.

Also yesterday afternoon, the LA Times published an editorial calling for Martinez, de Leon and Cedillo to resign.

On Monday, when it became apparent that her colleagues were ready to oust her as council president, Martinez announced she would step down from her leadership position. But that is not enough. The casual racism and disregard for colleagues and constituents on the audio revealed a serious rot that cannot be papered over with apologies…

Cedillo and De León should resign as well. While Martinez was the ringleader in the conversation, firing off insults and attacks, Cedillo and De León joined in with their own commentary. No city with the racial and ethnic diversity of Los Angeles, and a history of interracial conflict, can tolerate leaders who harbor racist, hate-filled views…

The leaked audio showed just how toxic L.A.’s political leadership has become. They spoke with contempt of anyone who might challenge them or have different ideas, they showed disrespect toward the communities they are supposed to serve. Their inexcusable comments, now made public, have damaged faith in how this city is governed. Martinez, Cedillo and De León have to go.

There’s a long list of state and national politicians saying the same.

The list of political figures and organizations issuing those calls took in Mayor Eric Garcetti, former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Reps. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), Tony Cárdenas (D-Pacoima) and Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles), an array of labor unions and two mayoral candidates — Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and developer Rick Caruso.

And just this morning, Nury Martinez announced she would take a leave of absence.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Nury Martinez announced she is taking a leave of absence Tuesday amid ongoing calls for her resignation after a recording revealing racist and offensive remarks was released over the weekend.

“This has been one of the most difficult times of my life and I recognize this is entirely of my own making,” Martinez said in a statement…

“At this moment, I need to take a leave of absence and take some time to have an honest and heartfelt conversation with my family, my constituents, and community leaders,” the statement reads.

There was a pre-scheduled city council meeting set to take place at 10 am this morning. That meeting opened with a speech from Mike Bonin who said he was still in shock over the leaked audio. “Public officials are supposed to call us to our highest selves and these people stabbed us and shot us and cut the spirit of Los Angeles,” he said. Bonin then broke down as he said he was a “dad who loves his son in ways that words cannot capture.”

After about 10 minutes of disruption, the council moved on to public comments. People were granted one minute for general comments and up to three minutes to discuss specific measures before the board. One of the first people to come forward said he wanted to discuss several specifics including item 19. He then said the following, “Item 19. Kevin de Leon’s a piece of s**t. F**k item 19!” He was cut off and told to yield the mic to the next speaker.

I didn’t watch the entire thing, which is at least two hours long, but the next 7-8 speakers all said basically the same thing: Martinez, de Leon and Cedillo need to resign. Having watched this I have to resign my guess from yesterday. Yesterday I said Martinez would probably be forced out but de Leon and the others would hang on. I’m not sure that’s possible. People are too angry about this to move on. I now think they’re all going to be gone by the end of the week.

Here’s the live feed of the the LA City Council meeting.

Update: Welp, it’s definitely not a local story anymore. President Biden has weighed in and called for members of the city council who were caught on tape to resign.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that President Joe Biden believes that all Los Angeles City Council members who took part in a racist conversation uncovered this week should all “step down.”

“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,” Jean-Pierre said at Tuesday’s briefing.

Here’s KJP who manages to turn this Democratic face-plant into an attack on MAGA Republicans.

The WH says the LA City Council members who made racist comments should resign, noting the parties’ differences:

“When a Democrat says something racist or anti-Semitic, we hold them accountable. When a MAGA Republican says something racist or anti-Semitic, they are embraced …” pic.twitter.com/vHS0PsMp0h

— The Recount (@therecount) October 11, 2022

Also, Whoopi Goldberg is pissed at Nury Martinez. “Get off the city council. Get out!”

LA CITY COUNCIL MEMBER STEPS DOWN OVER RACIST REMARKS: Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned after leaked audio emerged of a racist exchange made at a meeting last year — #TheView co-hosts discuss. https://t.co/cVclFZyKV0 pic.twitter.com/4E0XkfibH5

— The View (@TheView) October 11, 2022