LOS ANGELES — Heather Hutt, who has been filling the District 10 City Council seat on a temporary basis, is — for the short term, at least — its “caretaker,” following the conviction of now-former Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on federal corruption charges.
But that caretaker title figures to change in about two weeks following City Council President Paul Krekorian’s announcement Thursday night that he wants the council, at its next meeting, to appoint Hutt to fill the remainder of Ridley-Thomas’ unexpired term, which runs until December 2024.
Krekorian’s plan — in which he formally declared the seat vacant — emerged Thursday evening, hours after a federal jury in downtown Los Angeles convicted Ridley-Thomas of bribery and conspiracy charges, along with mail and wire fraud, stemming from his time on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
The charges are for what prosecutors called a quid pro quo arrangement between Ridley-Thomas and a former head of the USC School of Social Work, with the politician accused of steering county contracts toward the school in exchange for benefits to Ridley-Thomas’ son, former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
Mark Ridley-Thomas faces years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 14.
“While the federal legal process is continuing, and Mr. Ridley-Thomas may choose to pursue his right to appeal, his office nonetheless has now become vacant as a matter of law as provided by Section 207(a) of the Charter of the City of Los Angeles,” Krekorian said in a statement Thursday night.
“While charges against Mr. Ridley-Thomas were pending, the Council appointed Heather Hutt to hold the office of council member for District 10 for so long as the temporary vacancy continues to exist. Because the vacancy of this office is no longer temporary but is now permanent, Ms. Hutt’s temporary appointment is no longer in force, and the Council must decide what action, if any, to take to address this vacancy.”
In the short…
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