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Curren Price Supporters Speak Out Against Proposal To Suspend LA Councilmember
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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Frank Stoltze
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LAist
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Topline:
Supporters of L.A. Councilmember Curren Price Thursday urged the City Council not to suspend him while charges against him work their way through the judicial system. They said he should be considered innocent until proven guilty on charges of embezzlement, conflict of interest and perjury, and that to remove him as a voting member of the council would deprive his South L.A. district of representation.
Praise for Price: “There is no one more committed to our community’s health, to our community’s education, to our community’s economic empowerment than Curren Price,” said Dr. Jerry Abraham, a private practitioner in the district who is also president of the Los Angeles County Medical Association. “Now is not the time to take away our voice.”
The backstory: 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: The city council rules committee considers a motion to suspend Price on Friday. Its recommendation would be voted on by the full council. The council suspended former Councilmembers Jose Huizar and Mark Ridley-Thomas within days of their being charged with crimes.
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