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Los Angeles city black Democrat councilman charged with 10 counts, including embezzlement and perjury
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Leroy N. Soetoro
Sep 26, 2023, 3:30:48 PM9/26/23
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https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-council-curren-price-
embezzlement-13001d4105614c67b1c5db7198c77fdf
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors charged a Los Angeles city councilman with
10 counts, including embezzlement and perjury, Tuesday in the latest
criminal case to upend the scandal-plagued governing board of the nation’s
second-largest city.
Curren Price Jr. faces 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.
Price was charged for having a financial interest in projects that he
voted on as a council member, and having the city pay nearly $34,000 in
medical benefits for his now-wife while he was still married to another
woman, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a
statement.
Between 2019 and 2021, Price’s wife allegedly received payments totaling
more than $150,000 from developers before Price voted to approve projects,
according to Gascón’s statement. He also is accused of failing to list the
money his wife received on government disclosure forms.
“This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and
erodes the public’s trust in our elected officials,” Gascón said.
Price called the charges “unwarranted.”
In a letter to City Council President Paul Krekorian, Price said he was
stepping down from committee assignments and leadership responsibilities
“while I navigate through the judicial system to defend my name.”
“The last thing I want to do is be a distraction to the people’s
business,” he wrote.
The council and city government have been shaken by a series of recent
scandals.
In March, former Democratic City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas — a one-
time legislator, county supervisor and a fixture in local politics for
decades — was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies, including
conspiracy, bribery and fraud.
Last year, a racism scandal that shook public trust in Los Angeles
government triggered the resignations in October of then-City Council
President Nury Martinez and a powerful labor leader, Ron Herrera.
After an FBI investigation, two other former council members pleaded
guilty to federal corruption charges in recent years.
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who left office in December, was shadowed by
sexual harassment allegations against one of his former top aides.
To residents, the cumulative effect “makes the whole body politic of L.A.
look rotten, look illegal,” said Jaime Regalado, former executive director
of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State
University, Los Angeles.
At a time when the city is struggling with an out-of-control homeless
crisis, crime and soaring housing and rent costs, “it makes everything
harder,” Regalado said.
A criminal complaint said a consulting firm operated by Price’s wife
received a series of payments from companies incorporated or co-owned by
Thomas Safran & Associates, GTM Holdings/Works and GTM Holdings, before
the councilman voted to approve funding for the companies’ projects.
Emails seeking comment from those entities were not immediately returned
Tuesday evening.
Price was first elected to the council in 2013 and currently serves as its
president pro tempore. His district includes South Los Angeles and parts
of the city’s downtown. His term is set to expire in 2026.
Price, who is Black, has successfully navigated changing demographics in
his district — which has become increasingly Latino — and is known for
being attentive to communities that are diverse.
The councilman had attended a city council meeting earlier in the day
Tuesday.
Mayor Karen Bass’ office said in a statement that she had not seen the
charges but was “saddened by this news.”
Price’s attorney, David Willingham, declined to comment, saying he had not
seen a copy of the criminal complaint.
The charges were first reported Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times.
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
embezzlement-13001d4105614c67b1c5db7198c77fdf
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors charged a Los Angeles city councilman with
10 counts, including embezzlement and perjury, Tuesday in the latest
criminal case to upend the scandal-plagued governing board of the nation’s
second-largest city.
Curren Price Jr. faces 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.
Price was charged for having a financial interest in projects that he
voted on as a council member, and having the city pay nearly $34,000 in
medical benefits for his now-wife while he was still married to another
woman, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a
statement.
Between 2019 and 2021, Price’s wife allegedly received payments totaling
more than $150,000 from developers before Price voted to approve projects,
according to Gascón’s statement. He also is accused of failing to list the
money his wife received on government disclosure forms.
“This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and
erodes the public’s trust in our elected officials,” Gascón said.
Price called the charges “unwarranted.”
In a letter to City Council President Paul Krekorian, Price said he was
stepping down from committee assignments and leadership responsibilities
“while I navigate through the judicial system to defend my name.”
“The last thing I want to do is be a distraction to the people’s
business,” he wrote.
The council and city government have been shaken by a series of recent
scandals.
In March, former Democratic City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas — a one-
time legislator, county supervisor and a fixture in local politics for
decades — was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies, including
conspiracy, bribery and fraud.
Last year, a racism scandal that shook public trust in Los Angeles
government triggered the resignations in October of then-City Council
President Nury Martinez and a powerful labor leader, Ron Herrera.
After an FBI investigation, two other former council members pleaded
guilty to federal corruption charges in recent years.
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who left office in December, was shadowed by
sexual harassment allegations against one of his former top aides.
To residents, the cumulative effect “makes the whole body politic of L.A.
look rotten, look illegal,” said Jaime Regalado, former executive director
of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State
University, Los Angeles.
At a time when the city is struggling with an out-of-control homeless
crisis, crime and soaring housing and rent costs, “it makes everything
harder,” Regalado said.
A criminal complaint said a consulting firm operated by Price’s wife
received a series of payments from companies incorporated or co-owned by
Thomas Safran & Associates, GTM Holdings/Works and GTM Holdings, before
the councilman voted to approve funding for the companies’ projects.
Emails seeking comment from those entities were not immediately returned
Tuesday evening.
Price was first elected to the council in 2013 and currently serves as its
president pro tempore. His district includes South Los Angeles and parts
of the city’s downtown. His term is set to expire in 2026.
Price, who is Black, has successfully navigated changing demographics in
his district — which has become increasingly Latino — and is known for
being attentive to communities that are diverse.
The councilman had attended a city council meeting earlier in the day
Tuesday.
Mayor Karen Bass’ office said in a statement that she had not seen the
charges but was “saddened by this news.”
Price’s attorney, David Willingham, declined to comment, saying he had not
seen a copy of the criminal complaint.
The charges were first reported Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times.
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
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