Yet Another City Council Person Charged With Corruption (And Other Headlines)

The Los Angeles City Council got another black mark on its name Tuesday after the L.A. County District Attorney’s office filed several charges against longtime Councilperson Curren Price, including embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest. My colleague Frank Stoltze, civics and democracy correspondent for LAist, has all the details here.

Curren Price among other council people charged with corruption

Price is the latest member of the council to face corruption charges, following, most recently, Mark Ridley Thomas who a grand jury found guilty of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud earlier this year. Former councilperson José Huizar will be sentenced later this year after pleading guilty to federal charges of racketeering and tax evasion. And in 2021, it was former councilperson Mitch Englander who was sentenced to a stint in prison.

There was also the scandal last October. City Council President Nury Martinez resigned after a secretly recorded conversation was leaked in which she and other city leaders were found making racist and homophobic remarks. Frank notes the charges against Price could impact the race to fill Martinez’s empty seat. Candidate Marisa Alcaraz is his deputy chief of staff.

At the time of Frank’s reporting, a spokesperson for Price said he had not yet seen the charges. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass had also not seen charges as of last evening but a spokesperson noted she was “saddened by the news.”

Check back with LAist for more updates on this.

There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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Wait! One more thing...

Four L.A. students who recognized their power to create change

Vivian Musacchia, Mt. San Antonio College

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Courtesy Vivan Musacchia

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LAist

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Now for something we hope you’ll find inspiring…In high school, I learned how to truly speak up for myself. It is a time when students learn about themselves, others and the world around them — injustices and all.

My colleague Mariana Dale spoke with four students and recent high school graduates who decided to do more than just attend classes and do extracurricular activities. They became activists.

For example, meet 19-year-old Vivian Musacchia. She’s currently a student at Mt. San Antonio College but returned to her former high school in the fall to bring awareness about students like her — students with disabilities.

Musacchia uses a wheelchair and had some obstacles in high school, like being able to move through a crowded classroom or participating safely in an earthquake drill. She spoke up in front of the Rowland Unified School District to request officials adopt a disability policy. She’s also met with her old school’s staff and created a series of training videos to help teachers understand what students with disabilities need in order to access learning and be safe in emergencies. Now, she has a TikTok where she also brings awareness.

So what kind of advice does she have for other students who want to make change happen?

“Brainstorm ways that they can address that issue,” she said. “Talk to people, for help because… that's always going to help you gain more insight into what you need to do.”

Read the rest of Mariana’s profiles in student activism here.