After a week rocked by allegations of corruption against yet another lawmaker, the Los Angeles City Council reconvened on Tuesday to elect city council member Marquese Harris Dawson as the next interim speaker.
The number two role on the city council had previously been held by Rep. Karen Price, who was charged with perjury for failing to disclose the deal between the developer of the project he voted for and his wife, and embezzlement of city funds. I resigned from that position last week. Having his current wife receive spousal health benefits when they were not legally married.
Harris Dawson told reporters after the vote that the situation facing Price was “unsettling.” Harris-Dawson also said he and others were “scratched” over the incident.
“It’s just unclear. I’ve never seen a felony imposed for this type of activity. I’ve seen ethical violations for this type of activity,” Harris-Dawson said. “So I’m curious.”
Ethics committee cases are handled administratively, and fines are imposed on those who violate financial disclosure and conflict of interest laws. The district attorney’s office has filed criminal charges.
News of the criminal charges rocked city councilors early last week. But as the shock subsided and the details of the incident became widely known, some at City Hall quietly began to question whether Price’s actions deserved such a felony.
Harris Dawson is believed to be the first city council member to publicly express concern over the 10-felony lawsuit against Price, which includes perjury, embezzlement and violation of state conflict of interest laws. Many of the lawsuits focus on Mr. Price’s vote for an affordable housing project developed by a company that hired Mr. Price’s wife as a consultant.
When asked about Harris Dawson’s comments, a District State spokeswoman said Athi. George Gascon said the firm had filed a felony charge against Price because “the alleged conduct is defined as a crime by law.”
When the Public Prosecutor’s Office discovers a violation of the Civil Code Gascon City Communications Commissioner Tiffany Bracknell said if an incident occurred but no crime was committed, the matter would be referred to the city’s Ethics Commission or the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
Mr. Price has previously argued that the accusations were “unjustified,” but has yet to vigorously refute them. Harris Dawson is also a member of the council’s rules committee, which is set to take up Price’s proposed suspension on Friday.
Harris-Dawson declined to say whether he thinks Price should be suspended.
Tuesday’s preliminary elections were held with little publicity. After the council unanimously approved more than 20 bills with a single vote, council chairman Paul Krekorian asked the clerk to clarify that provisional votes were included in the list, with a look on his face. shined.
“I am pleased to congratulate our Council President Protem Marquese Harris Dawson on that vote,” Mr. Krekorian quickly said as Harris Dawson smiled, bowed slightly and raised his crossed hands. said so to “I would like you to get up and sit down at your desk.”
Harris Dawson took the platform where the City Council Speaker sits and spent the next 20 minutes presiding over the meeting. That’s the role he plays whenever the Crecorians are absent.
Mr. Krekorian initially put the name of Mr. Harris Dawson for the position last week, but there was no public opposition at the council.
The reorganization won’t change Congress dramatically, but it will put Harris Dawson in prime position for further political rise. The South Los Angeles City Councilman and former community organizer has been eyeing the presidency, which will be vacant again when Mr. Krekorian’s term ends later next year.
Harris Dawson is also particularly close to Mayor Karen Bass. He runs Community Coalition, a progressive South LA non-profit organization founded by Bass, and has since served on the council. Harris Dawson’s former chief of staff, Solomon Rivera, recently left the city council office to join the mayor’s administration.
He represents the 8th District, considered the heart of the black community in Los Angeles. Harris Dawson is one of only two black lawmakers elected to the council, along with Price. (A third commissioner, Heather Hatt, was appointed by the council to fill the seat of former City Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas.)
The Speaker pro tempore is not selected directly by the Speaker of Parliament, but by his colleagues, but is still part of the Speaker’s leadership team. Raphael J. Sonnenshain, executive director of the John Randolph Haynes Dora Haynes Foundation, which sponsors social science research in Los Angeles, said the Protem “can provide a critical force for leadership collaboration in councils. ‘ said.
Harris Dawson leans politically to the left of Mr Crecorian and has strong ties with the Council’s most progressive members. Those connections could be a boon for Mr. Krekorian as the city council speaker tries to lock in votes.