here we go again.
In recent years, after scandal after scandal, Los Angeles City Hall has been hit by yet another newly elected official accused of corruption. City Councilman Karen Price was indicted Tuesday on charges of embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest, alleging she had a financial interest in a project she voted for.
Mr Price is now the fourth city councilor to face corruption charges and accused of using his public office for personal gain. 4th time in 3 years!
And this includes allegations that former Mayor Eric Garcetti ignored sexual harassment by aides, and how three members of Congress and the county’s top labor official made racist comments about colleagues and workers. It does not include political scandals that have shaken public trust, such as top-secret recordings captured. Voters are trying to stay in power.
This is not just a coincidence or the fault of some bad apples. A series of criminal charges and scandals are the flashing neon signs above City Hall, showing that Los Angeles’ political culture is corrupt and in need of an overhaul. The question now is whether city hall can be reformed.
As for Price, he announced on Tuesday: get off While he’s defending himself in court, he’s been sidelined from congressional leadership (he was named deputy commander-in-chief after the audio scandal leaked last fall) and commissions.
That’s not enough. Mr. Price should resign from the council. Although he is presumed innocent and has the right to defend himself in court, the reality is that he cannot be an effective civil servant while facing corruption charges. Council President Paul Krekorian said Tuesday night that he would move to suspend Price. If Price does not resign, his voters will have no voting representative unless the council appoints an interim commissioner. Price, who represents downtown and South Los Angeles, was reelected last year for a term through 2026.
The charges against Price involve his wife, Del Richardson, who runs a consulting firm.according to Los Angeles County District Attorney As a result of the criminal charges, Mr. Price voted to approve the project of the developer who paid Mr. Richardson. Council members are prohibited from voting on projects in which they have a financial interest. Mr. Price is also accused of failing to disclose all his payments to his wife on his financial disclosure form.
Price allegedly voted for the project after the developer paid his wife multiple times. 2019 Times Survey Emphasized potential conflicts of interest.
Richardson and Price have also been charged with embezzlement of public funds, alleging that they received medical insurance premiums paid by the city from 2013 to 2017. not legally married. Price did not divorce his first wife and did not marry Richardson until 2018, according to the complaint.
For months, it seemed as though corruption and scandals were over in Los Angeles. Former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas faces federal bribery and conspiracy charges for channeling county contracts to the University of Southern California in return for his son’s admission to a graduate program with a full scholarship and paid professorship. He was convicted in March. Ridley Thomas is appealing the conviction.
Former city councilors Mitch Englander and Jose Hwysar were indicted as part of a separate federal investigation into payroll corruption involving property development. Mr. Englander pleaded guilty in 2020 and has since served time and was released from federal prison. Hujzar pleaded guilty in January and admitted to extorting at least $1.5 million in bribes from real estate developers. His sentence was postponed until September.
Following public backlash after the corruption scandal and audio leak scandal, city council leaders have set out to formulate a sweeping reform package for next year’s vote. A task force for city governance reform, led by Mr. Krekorian, is considering how to create separate wards and whether to expand the 15-member city council.
They should add ethics reform to their agenda. The charges against Price reiterate the need for an independent and empowered ethics committee to check on the city’s elected leaders. The commission now relies on the city council for funding and legislation, which is a problem. Regulators should not require permission from regulated parties to conduct their work.
With so much fraud at City Hall, there is a real risk that Angeleno residents will ignore their interest in, or lose trust in, their local government, which will reduce their participation and In addition, the personal interests of City employees will determine the most important decisions of the City of Los Angeles. But what gives us hope is good government groupphilanthropists, academics, and even some city leaders are pushing for long-overdue reforms that could help restore confidence.
