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How to LA: Councilmember Curren Price Faces Corruption Charges. What That Means For His District, His Community
Supporters of L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price gathered in South L.A. Thursday and urged the council not to suspend him as he faces public corruption charges. "We want to remind you that he has the presumption of innocence," said Pastor Shep Crawford of United We Stand Up.
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Councilmember Curren Price Faces Corruption Charges. What That Means For His District, His Community
The charges have rattled Price's largely Latino district, which came out (mostly) in his defense recently.
Councilmember Curren Price's District 9 has largely rallied around him but there are concerns about what happens to his district and the future of Black political power in L.A. if charges against him do lead to his removal from the L.A. City Council
Why it matters
The Los Angeles City Council has been through a lot of upheaval. In the past few years, there’s been corruption scandals, indictments, leaked tapes with racist language — all involving city leaders. The latest: Councilmember Curren Price has been charged with embezzlement of public funds, among other counts. As the last of two Black councilmembers in L.A., the threat of his removal has a lot of observers wondering about the future of Black political power in this city.
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Why now
Price's charges have rattled his largely Latino district, which came out (mostly) in his defense recently. Due in large part to that public support, the city council moved NOT to suspend him (yet) as the charges work their way through the court. This decision to delay a vote on his suspension is very different from how the council handled past corruption charges against sitting councilmembers.
The backstory:
L.A. District Attorney George Gascón has accused Price of embezzlement of public funds because his now-wife received city health benefits when they were not legally married. Price is also accused of failing to disclose that his wife worked for developers whose projects he voted to support. Price has said he is innocent.
What's next
Price is expected be arraigned in L.A. Superior Court in mid-July
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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