The Los Angeles City Council president has announced plans to initiate a motion to suspend a councilman who has been charged with embezzlement, perjury, and other criminal offenses, marking yet another corruption scandal within the city’s leadership, Your Content has learned.
Council President Paul Krekorian expressed shock at the allegations against Curren Price Jr., describing him as a “friend and colleague” while emphasizing the principle of presumed innocence as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
Price, who has served on the council for ten years, is now facing charges that include five counts of embezzlement of government funds, three counts of perjury, and two counts of conflict of interest, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
In response, Price has voluntarily stepped down from committee assignments and leadership roles, citing the need to navigate the judicial system and defend his reputation.
This recent development adds to a series of corruption scandals involving prominent figures in Los Angeles politics.
Mark Ridley-Thomas, a former Democratic City Councilman with a long-standing career in local politics, was recently convicted of seven felonies, including conspiracy, bribery, and fraud.
Other former council members, Mitch Englander and Jose Huizar, have also pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges following an FBI investigation.
Additionally, last year, a racism scandal rocked the Los Angeles government, leading to the resignations of City Council President Nury Martinez and labor leader Ron Herrera.
In this new case, Price stands accused of having a personal financial stake in projects for which he cast votes as a council member.
Moreover, he allegedly caused the city to pay approximately $34,000 in medical benefits for his current wife while still being legally married to another woman.
District Attorney George Gascón stated that Price failed to disclose the payments his wife received from developers, totaling over $150,000 between 2019 and 2021, before approving the developers’ projects.
The companies implicated in the case, including Thomas Safran & Associates and GTM Holdings, have yet to respond to requests for comment.
David Willingham, Price’s attorney, declined to comment on the matter as he has not yet reviewed the criminal complaint.
Council President Krekorian emphasized that the suspension process will be conducted in an orderly manner, taking into account input from Price’s district.
The motion for suspension will initially be referred to the council’s rules committee to ensure a comprehensive discussion and debate surrounding the issues at hand.
Price, whose term extends until 2026, represents South Los Angeles and parts of downtown, according MSN.
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