BREAKING: Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez steps down after a recording emerged of her making racist and offensive comments about fellow council members.
ABC News has not independently confirmed the authenticity of the audio.
"I sincerely apologize to the people I hurt with my words: to my colleagues, their families, especially to Mike, [his husband] Sean [Arian], and your son," Martinez wrote in the letter announcing she would step down as council president. "As a mother, I know better and I am sorry. I am truly ashamed. I know this is the result of my own actions. I’m sorry to your entire family for putting you through this.
"We are appalled, angry and absolutely disgusted that Nury Martinez attacked our son with horrific racist slurs, and talked about her desire to physically harm him," Bonin wrote. "It's vile, abhorrent, and utterly disgraceful. The City Council needs to remove her as Council President immediately, and she needs to resign from office. Any parent reading her comments will know she is unfit for public office.
"On that day, I fell short of the expectations we set for our leaders -- and I will hold myself to a higher standard."