The Los Angeles city council voted 11-3 to suspend Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas from office Oct. 20, shortly before he is scheduled to be arraigned on federal bribery and conspiracy charges stemming from his time serving on the county Board of Supervisors. The motion to suspend Ridley-Thomas was introduced Tuesday by Council President Nury Martinez and seconded by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, the council president pro team. “The trial on the indictment has yet to take place and a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty; however, a council member who has been charged with public corruption cannot continue to exercise the powers of city office and preserve public trust,” the motion stated. Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin said on Tuesday that pending the councilman’s suspension, he will cut off Ridley-Thomas’s salary and benefits. Councilmen Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price, and Mike Bonin opposed the suspension. Bonin urged the City Council to not …
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