The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission has privately accused City Councilmember Curren Price of voting on a number of matters in which his wife had a financial interest, according to two anonymous sources familiar with the situation. The commission, responsible for enforcing conflict-of-interest laws, notified Price of the accusations last week. These allegations echo charges filed by L.A. County prosecutors against Price last year.
The sources revealed that the commission’s filing accuses Price of 21 violations of the city’s ethics laws, many of which are similar to those filed by District Attorney George Gascón. Price currently faces five counts of embezzlement, two counts of conflict of interest, and three counts of perjury in the criminal case. The charges stem from Price’s alleged support for projects involving developers who had business dealings with his wife’s consulting company, specializing in tenant relocation services.
The violations alleged by the Ethics Commission primarily involve conflicts of interest or Price’s failure to fully disclose his economic interests related to his wife’s business. However, the commission’s accusations cover a broader time span than the criminal complaint, which focuses on the period between 2019 and 2021.
The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission is prohibited by city law from confirming or denying the existence of a complaint or investigation, according to spokesperson Nancy Jackson. The district attorney’s office and Price’s attorney declined to comment on the matter.
Typically, the Ethics Commission holds an evidentiary hearing after publicly issuing an accusation. During this hearing, commission members determine whether the alleged violations occurred and, if so, what penalties should be imposed. The document served to Price is known as a “probable cause report.”
Last year, some of Price’s allies argued that the allegations against him should have been handled by the Ethics Commission rather than the district attorney’s office. Price has consistently maintained his innocence, with his lawyer stating that there is no evidence to suggest that the developers’ payments to his wife’s consulting company influenced his votes on the projects. Price’s lawyer, Michael Schafler, also emphasized that the votes in question were routine and noncontroversial, passing with large majorities.
A trial date for Price’s criminal case has not yet been set, but he is due back in court in late April. During this hearing, the Los Angeles city attorney’s office is expected to challenge a subpoena from prosecutors seeking communications between the city attorney’s office and Price. The city attorney’s office has argued that these materials are protected by attorney-client privilege.
In recent years, several city council members in Los Angeles have faced criminal charges. Former Councilmember Mitchell Englander pleaded guilty in 2020 to providing false information to federal investigators, serving a short prison sentence. Former Councilmember Jose Huizar was recently sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to racketeering and tax evasion charges. Former Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was convicted of bribery, conspiracy, and mail fraud charges, and he has appealed the verdict. Additionally, Councilmember John Lee is currently facing accusations of violating gift acceptance and reporting laws, with a case pending before the Ethics Commission.
1 Response
There are a few errors in the post that need to be addressed:
1. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission has not privately accused City Councilmember Curren Price of voting on matters in which his wife had a financial interest. The information provided in the post is based on anonymous sources, which makes it difficult to verify the accuracy of the claim.
2. To support the claim made in the post, credible sources should be provided. However, since the information is based on anonymous sources, it is