Despite facing separate scandals, Los Angeles City Council members Curren Price and Kevin de León are preparing Thursday to return and serve on some committees.
Council President Paul Krekorian announced Wednesday that Price would serve on the civil rights, personnel, public safety, and trade and travel committees, and de León would serve on the energy and environment, housing and homelessness, trade, and transportation committees. De León would also serve on the Board of Referred Powers, which last met in 2022.
As the council president, Krekorian has the power to assign and structure the council’s committees.
“It’s a 15-seat council and there are 16 committees, each with three to seven members,” according to statement from Krekorian’s office. “With only 13 members working full time, some members have been serving on five or six committees.”
“Having two members of the council sitting idle while collecting full pay was imposing on excessive workload on the other 12 and interfering with the work of the council,” the statement continued.
Price, who represents the 9th District, encompassing neighborhoods of South L.A., asked to be excused from his committee duties in June 2023 while he prepared a response to his indictment. The councilman had been charged with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest that same month.
Price has vehemently defended himself and maintains he is innocent of any wrongdoing.
De León, who represents the 14th District, encompassing parts of downtown LA and Eastside neighborhoods, was stripped of his committee duties by acting Council President Mitch O’Farrell in October 2022 following the release of a leaked audio recording, featuring racist and derogatory remarks.
The councilman has apologized for his participating in that conversation, and is now running for a second term to serve his 14th District.
Both council members issued statements Wednesday in response to the Krekorian’s action.
De León said, “These specific assignments are particularly critical for residents of my district.” Price said he was “deeply honored” to return to his committee duties.
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“Amidst mounting concerns among Angelenos regarding significant issues such as family safety, the broad-reaching effects of the upcoming 2028 Olympics and the future of immigrant communities, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to address these pressing matters and numerous others impacting our residents,” Price said in a statement.
Rob Quan, an organizer with Unrig LA, told the Los Angeles Times that he was disappointed with Krekorian’s action. Unrig LA is an organization that works to address corruption at City Hall.
Quan told the Times that it was “highly inappropriate” to put Price on a council committee that deals with the Los Angeles Police Department and called it “baffling” to place de León on several committees.