Some local officials are calling for Bronx City Councilman Ruben Diaz Senior to resign over seemingly homophobic comments.
On the Spanish-speaking radio show "The Relief," Diaz said the City Council is "controlled by the homosexual community."
Although he did not specify who he was referring to, the current City Council speaker is Corey Johnson, who is openly gay and HIV-positive.
Mayor de Blasio took to Twitter, demanding that Diaz apologize. Now, a group of councilmembers is calling for further action.
The City Council LGBT Caucus and Women's Caucus issued a joint statement saying, in part, "We demand he resign from his position effective immediately. It is time that we stick by the pledge we have made to our communities that hate and fear have no place in New York City."
The groups are also asking that the city council standards and ethics committee open an investigation into the matter.
Diaz responded to the controversy on Twitter, saying, "What’s homophobic about saying that the gay community controls the NYC City Council? I’m giving them credit for the power and influence they have."
Corey Johnson has also issued a statement on Twitter saying, “In the aftermath of Council Member Diaz Sr.'s deeply offensive comments about the LGBTQ community - as well as his indefensible refusal to apologize or even acknowledge the hurt he has caused - many Members have called for disciplinary actions against him and/or his resignation. I feel their anger and their pain. We are currently reviewing all potential disciplinary scenarios. Nothing is off the table.”