I’ll lay out how a longtime Los Angeles councilmember remains in power despite felony charges, the history of allegations against him, the slow grind of accountability in L.A., examples of past convictions, and why this matters for the city’s future.
The Los Angeles City Council is under fresh scrutiny as Ninth District Councilman Curren Price faces a criminal trial on 12 felony counts, including embezzlement, conflict of interest, and perjury. He has held this seat for decades and, despite charges and ethics accusations, still influences city business. That disconnect between allegations and immediate consequences is what keeps local government credibility on life support.
Price’s legal troubles are not sudden. Allegations stretching back to 2017 have shadowed his tenure, touching on everything from questionable land-use votes to personal misconduct claims. A 2023 indictment charged him with perjury and embezzlement, and prosecutors prevailed in a preliminary hearing, leading a judge to order the case to trial.
https://x.com/KTLA/status/2086922500408283317
A Los Angeles city councilmember accused of embezzling public funds and other corruption offenses has again been ordered to stand trial after a judge rejected his latest attempt to have the case dismissed.
Councilmember Curren Price, who represents parts of South Los Angeles and downtown, faces 12 felony charges, including five counts of embezzlement of government funds, four counts of conflict of interest and three counts of perjury.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler on Friday rejected Price’s motion to set aside the case, finding that prosecutors presented “ample evidence” during a preliminary hearing to support a probable cause finding.
Allegations include steering votes that benefited clients tied to Price’s family interests, raising obvious conflict-of-interest concerns. Those votes reportedly affected rent-controlled properties, with consequences for tenants and neighborhood housing stock. When public officials vote in ways that enrich connected parties, trust erodes and people suffer real consequences.
The city’s ethics watchdogs have also weighed in. Last year the City Council Ethics Commission flagged multiple violations, and the legal process has rolled forward to the 2025 charges now facing Price. Yet he still chairs the Public Safety Committee and participates in day-to-day council work while facing serious accusations.
That kind of continued authority while under indictment frustrates residents and fuels a narrative that political elites protect their own. When officials keep their chairs in the face of felony allegations, it sends a message that the system tolerates impropriety unless a conviction finally lands. That slow, reactive model of accountability is part of the problem.
Former D.A. Jackie Lacey claimed in 2017 to be “reviewing a complaint” about Price, but she did nothing to stop him from voting to demolish the rent controlled buildings owned by his wife’s clients. Angelenos have been made homeless by these votes, and we are sure that some have died on the streets. Handsome and useful buildings have been or soon will be destroyed, contributing to the manufactured homelessness crisis that is sucking up all civic resources and making public space unusable by those housed or unhoused.
L.A. has a recent history of council corruption that eventually produced indictments and prison sentences, showing that the justice system can catch up even if slowly. High-profile convictions have included figures from both parties, demonstrating that graft and favoritism cut across political lines in local government. Still, the lag between wrongdoing and consequences undermines deterrence.
Examples include Republican and Democratic officials who ultimately faced prison time for bribery, fraud, and racketeering, illustrating that accountability does occur but often after years of investigation and political fallout. That delay allows incumbents to keep power long enough to influence policy and personnel decisions that can matter for years. Speedier, clearer consequences would help restore public confidence.
There are systemic flaws that let questionable behavior persist: political inertia, weak enforcement mechanisms, and a culture of tolerance among colleagues who fear rocking the boat. When ethics complaints are reviewed and then shelved or slowed, the public reads that as tacit approval. Los Angeles needs a tougher approach so officials face timely consequences when evidence merits it.
At the same time, shutting the door on due process is not the point. Charges must be litigated fairly, and the accused are entitled to defend themselves. But remaining in positions of power while awaiting trial on serious corruption charges creates a clear optics problem, and constituents deserve a stronger standard for public trust in the meantime.
Ridley-Thomas was convicted in 2023 in downtown Los Angeles on federal counts of conspiracy, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and honest services mail and wire fraud. He was subsequently sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison, but the judge granted the longtime politician’s bid for bail pending appeal.
If Los Angeles wants to rebuild trust, it needs to enforce ethics standards consistently and faster, and councils should consider temporary limits on committee chair powers when members face felony allegations. That is not about punishment before guilt, but about preserving the integrity of public office while the courts do their job. Citizens will judge their leaders by whether they protect the public interest or protect political insiders.
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