The Los Angeles City Council will consider Tuesday a motion to elect a new president pro tempore to replace Curren Price, who resigned and faces suspension from the council after being charged with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest.
The motion introduced by Council President Paul Krekorian calls for the council to hold an election at the next available council meeting for the chair pro tempore position, and further motions to elect Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson to the position.
After being indicted last week, Price announced his decision to step down as interim council chairman and handed over all his committee assignments.
Los Angeles Councilman Curren Price faces serious charges for alleged corruption, and area residents have reacted to the case.
“As I navigate the court system to defend my name against the unwarranted charges brought against me, the last thing I want to do is distract people’s business,” Price wrote in a letter to Krekorian.
In a statement, District Attorney George Gascón said the charges against Price are the “result of a thorough investigation into the allegation of public corruption.”
“This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public’s trust in our elected officials,” it added.
Charges against Curren Price
The charges allege that Price cast votes on projects involving real estate developers with ties to his wife’s consulting firm.
He is also accused of embezzling money by having the city cover his now-wife’s health insurance premiums, even though Price was still married to his first wife at the time.
A motion to fully suspend Price will also be heard at some point.
The motion’s first step will be in the council’s Rules Committee, before returning to the full council for a vote.
Los Angeles Councilman Curren Price was charged with 10 counts of embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest in a public corruption investigation. Gabriel Huerta reports.
Scandals in the mayor’s office
Price is the latest Los Angeles city official to fall into legal or political chaos.
former councilors Jose Huizar and Mitch Englander pleaded guilty to federal charges in recent years, while Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas he was convicted earlier this year on federal charges for trading votes during his time on the county Board of Supervisors in exchange for benefits provided. by the USC to his son.
The former president of the Municipal Council, nury martinezresigned last year after being recorded in a racially charged conversation with two other council members and a county labor official discussing the council’s redistricting process.
