Nury Martinez, the former president of the Los Angeles City Council, resigned Wednesday, becoming the first of three council members overheard making racist and disparaging comments about colleagues.
The conversation has sparked public outrage and prompted calls from President Joe Biden and other Democrats.
Martinez, who resigned as president and announced she was taking a leave of absence, implicitly addressed her statements in a written statement announcing her resignation.
“To my staff – I’m sorry that we’re ending it this way,” Martinez said.
In an hourlong video of a discussion between three council members and a labor leader, Martinez called another white council member's Black kid a "little monkey."
The four also discussed using redistricting to benefit themselves and their friends while weakening Black Angelenos' strength. Martinez is the first to resign over the chat.