Mark Ridley-Thomas expected to plead ‘not guilty’ in federal court today

Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas is expected to plead not blameworthy connected Wednesday, Oct. 20, successful a national judge’s courtroom aft being indicted past week connected charges that portion a region supervisor helium conspired with a USC authoritative to steer favorable region contracts toward the schoolhouse successful speech for a occupation and a teaching presumption for a relative.

Ridley-Thomas, 66, has called the charges — leveled successful a 20-count indictment connected Oct. 13 — “outrageous” and has vowed done his lawyer to combat them, arsenic helium steps backmost from his duties connected the assembly dais, wherever helium represents the L.A.’s 10th Council District.

The councilman is scheduled to look via Zoom earlier Judge Rozella A. Oliver astatine the U.S. Courthouse downtown. As Ridely-Thomas is not yet successful national custody, helium volition beryllium “appearing” via a summons directing him to look successful court, officials said. There apt volition beryllium immoderate treatment contiguous connected imaginable enslaved and custody.

Marilyn Louise Flynn, 83, the erstwhile dean of USC’s schoolhouse of Social Work, is expected to beryllium arraigned connected Monday, connected the aforesaid charges. Flynn too, done her attorney, has denied the charges.

The 2 are accused of moving retired an statement 4 years agone successful which successful speech for his relative’s admittance to the school’s postgraduate program, Ridley-Thomas supported contracts involving the School of Social Work, including contracts to supply services to the region Department of Children and Family Services and Probation Department, arsenic good arsenic an amendment to a declaration with the Department of Mental Health that would bring the schoolhouse millions of dollars successful caller revenue.

The indictment besides chronicles a bid of meetings and agreements that involved  a fistful of unnamed officials from the assemblage and from the region successful a declaration process that alarmed region officials capable that connected Tuesday the Board of Supervisors called for a probe of each specified work contracts with the county. The Board itself signed disconnected connected the contracts astatine contented successful the Ridley-Thomas case.

Ridley-Thomas, a mammoth fig successful L.A.-area authorities for decades, vacated his supervisorial spot past twelvemonth to tally for a station connected the City Council, which helium won.

The City Council is scheduled contiguous to see suspending  Ridley-Thomas. If the councilman is suspended, Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin said helium volition chopped disconnected Ridley-Thomas’ wage payments and benefits.

Ridley-Thomas is the 3rd L.A. City Councilman since March 2020 to beryllium indicted, pursuing national investigations into allegations of wrongdoing successful transportation with the nationalist duties.

Ex-City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who represented the council’s northwest San Fernando Valley seat, pleaded blameworthy to 1 felony complaint past year, portion admitting helium plotted to forestall national investigators from learning astir currency and different freebies helium received from a Southern California businessman. In an enactment the sentencing justice called an “elaborate and clandestine scheme,” Englander was sentenced successful January to 14 months successful national situation for lying to national authorities astir his dealings with the businessman who provided him $15,000 successful concealed currency payments and a nighttime successful Las Vegas.

And Ex-City Councilman Jose Huizar pleaded not blameworthy successful December to bribery and different national charges aft helium was indicted connected racketeering charges alleging helium took astatine slightest $1.5 cardinal and different benefits from developers who sought favorable attraction astatine City Hall. His proceedings is acceptable for May.