Community support for Councilmember Price builds as suspension is considered
Supporters of Councilmember Curren Price rallied in the Florence neighborhood Thursday as the city leader faces possible suspension from the L.A. City Council.
The suspension looms as Price was charged June 13 with embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest. Community members made their voices heard one day before the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee is to meet regarding the potential suspension.
The group unified by saying Price should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
"This is our leader, this is our city councilman, let us be represented, let us have a voice at the table so we can continue to do the work God has intended us to do -- to help, to heal. to clothe, to bring everyone together," said Dr Jerry Abraham, physician.
Also on Thursday, Mayor Karen Bass and Council President Paul Krekorian addressed the issue while attending a small business city event. When asked if the council should vote to suspend Price, Bass said she has confidence in the council's process and their ultimate decision.
"I support the council's deliberative process and the council is having a meeting tomorrow in which to decide that. And I think that we need to learn some lessons for how these situations were handled in the past, where action was taken very quickly and then it led to many unintended consequences. So standing here next to the president of the city council, whom I have complete confidence in, I'm going to see and follow the council's action," said Bass.
Krekorian said the council is taking community input very seriously on the matter. "We are going to include the community in this discussion, we're not just going to decide for them, the people in the 9th District are going to be involved in this discussion as well."
The councilmember sent out his own statement Wednesday, saying the charges against him are unwarranted and he will only address the charges in court.
"I have lived my entire life in public service honorably and with no other focus than the best interests of my constituents. As such, I am eager to respond both to the misguided charges that have been filed against me, and the unfair aspersions that have been cast upon my wife. I am confident that the court, and any fair observers, will recognize that these charges are unwarranted," wrote Price.
He continued to state that in the meantime, he should be allowed to serve on the council until -- when and if --a guilty verdict is reached …"I am presumed innocent, as indeed I am, and the best way to protect the voices and concerns of those in my District is to allow me and my dedicated staff to continue to serve the needs of District 9," wrote Price.
It is not known if the rules committee will reach a conclusion at Friday's meeting. When they do reach a final decision with the suspension process, then the matter moves to the city council.
If the decision is reached to suspend Price, the council would have to decide a replacement, either a non-voting caretaker or a temporary voting council member to oversee his district. A suspension would also mean a loss of pay as the city controller has stated salary payments would stop for any council member who is suspended.
The charges against Price allege he cast votes on projects involving developers with ties to his wife's consulting firm. Price is also accused of embezzling money by having the city cover medical insurance premiums for his now-wife, even though he was still married to his first wife at the time.