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The Los Angeles City Council elected Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson as its new president pro tempore on Tuesday, replacing Curren Price.who resigned from the position and could face a possible suspension after being accused of embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest.
City Council members voted 12-0 to make Harris-Price interim presidentwith the absence of councilors Curren Price and Mónica Rodríguez.
Related: No rush to suspend Councilman Curren Price: Los Angeles Council will take time
The president pro tempore is the in charge of leading the meetings of the Municipal Council in the event of an absence or withdrawal of the president.
Price did not attend Tuesday’s meeting and his office announced that he will not be present at any of the meetings scheduled for the remainder of the week.
“With that vote, I’m pleased to congratulate our new Council President Interim, Marqueece Harris-Dawson. I would like to ask you to come up and take the desk,” said City Council President Paul Krekorian.
Last week, Krekorian filed a motion requesting that the City Council hold an election at a future meeting for the position and promoted Harris-Dawson to the position.
After being impeached last week, Curren Price announced the decision to step down as interim City Council chairman, in addition to turning over all his committee assignments, but did not resign his seat.
In a letter to Council President Paul Krekorian, Curren Price expressed his decision not to represent a distraction during the process.
“As I navigate the court system to defend my name against the unwarranted charges brought against me, the last thing I want to do is be a distraction from people’s business,” Price said.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement that the charges against Price were the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption.
According to the indictment, Price cast votes on projects involving developers linked to his wife’s consulting firm..
Also, Price is accused of embezzling money by making the city pay his now-wife’s health insurance premiumsdespite the fact that the councilor was still married to his first wife.
A motion is also expected to be heard to fully suspend Price as council member.. The first step will be taken in the Rules Committee, before returning to the full Council for a vote.
Price, 72, has represented since 2013 to the 9th City Council District, which includes most of South Los Angeles and the western portion of Downtown Los Angeles.
He was also a member of the California State Assembly and Senate.
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