Biden calls for resignation of LA city council members over racist remarks (npr.org)

"Unacceptable" and "appalling" is how White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the crude and disparaging racist remarks that surfaced this week in a recording of three city council members in Los Angeles. President Biden believes all three council members should give up their seats, Jean-Pierre said. The recording was first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Councilwoman Nury Martinez announced that she intends to take a leave of absence, but she stopped short of submitting her resignation. Martinez employed racist and derogatory language to describe the son – who is black – of another council member, using a Spanish term meaning "little monkey" and stating that the boy needed "a beatdown." In addition, she described Oaxacan immigrants in Koreatown as "short little dark people." Council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León also participated in the conversation.

The president's statement comes as he embarks on a West Coast tour where he is scheduled for several public events, including a fundraiser with Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. He joined high-ranking California officials in his call for the council members' resignations. Scores of outraged protesters interrupted a city council meeting on Tuesday.