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Former LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas ‘shocked’ by federal bribery charges, vows to disprove them BY FRED SHUSTER BY CITY NEWS SERVICE
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os Angeles City Councilman Mark RidleyThomas was “shocked” by his federal indictment on conspiracy and bribery charges, his attorney said, insisting the powerful politician has never leveraged his elected posts for personal benefit. Ridley-Thomas has not personally spoken about the indictment that was announced Wednesday, but attorney Michael J. Proctor said in a statement that the councilman “was shocked by the federal allegations leveled against him, and with good reason. They are wrong, and we look forward to disproving them.” Proctor said Wednesday that at no point in RidleyThomas’ political career, “not as a member of the City Council, the state Legislature or the Board of Supervisors has he abused his position for personal gain. Mark RidleyThomas has been in public service for 30 years, and his actions have been open to public scrutiny for a full three decades. Over those 30 years, he has demonstrated the quality of his character.” “We ask you to allow due process to take its course,” the attorney said. The 20-count indictment filed in Los Angeles federal court alleges that RidleyThomas conspired with Marilyn Louise Flynn, former dean of USC’s School of Social Work, who agreed to provide Ridley-Thomas’ son with graduate school admission, a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship. She also allegedly arranged to funnel a $100,000 donation from Ridley-Thomas’ campaign funds through the university to a nonprofit to be operated by his son. In exchange, the indict-
ment alleges, Ridley-Thomas supported contracts involving the School of Social Work, including contracts to provide services to the county Department of Children and Family Services and Probation Department, as well as an amendment to a contract with the Department of Mental Health that would bring the school millions of dollars in new revenue. Ridley-Thomas, 66, and Flynn, 83, of Los Angeles, were informed of the indictment Wednesday afternoon and have agreed to appear for their arraignments in Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Flynn’s attorney, Vicki I. Podberesky, told the Los Angeles Times her client “has not committed any crime, and we believe that the evidence in this case will ultimately support this conclusion.” Podberesky described Flynn as a veteran academic who had “worked tirelessly for the improvement and betterment of the social welfare network in Los Angeles and around the country.” The indictment has clouded Ridley-Thomas’ future at City Hall, with at least one of his council colleagues calling on him to resign. “I am shocked, saddened and disgusted by the federal bribery charges against Mark Ridley-Thomas,” Councilman Joe Buscaino, also a candidate for mayor, wrote on Twitter Wednesday. “These charges tarnish the reputation of the entire LA City Council, and because of that, Ridley-Thomas should immediately step down from his position.” City Council President Nury Martinez said Wednesday she was “disappointed” in the news, adding, “While the alleged crimes took place while Mr. Ridley-Thomas sat on the Board of Supervisors, these charges are serious and the council will need to take
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Southern California, Arizona water suppliers collaborate on large water recycling plant
Regional Recycled Water Advanced Purification Center was opened in 2019. | Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Water District
BY CITY NEWS SERVICE
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LA Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, then an LA County supervisor, answers media questions in USC’s Associates Park in 2013. | Photo by Neon Tommy via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
appropriate action.” She did not specify what action could potentially be taken. When former City Councilman Jose Huizar was arrested last year in connection with a separate corruption case, the council voted to suspend him, leaving his staff to serve as caretakers for the district. Ridley-Thomas’ 10th
District represents an area that includes Arlington Heights, Koreatown, Leimert Park, Gramercy Park, Mid-City, Wilshire Center and Baldwin Village. Ridley-Thomas was originally scheduled to chair a
See Mark RidleyThomas page 4
he Metropolitan Water District, which provides water to six counties in Southern California, announced a partnership Wednesday with Arizona water agencies to collaborate on planning for what could become one of the nation’s largest water recycling plants, producing up to 150 million gallons daily to serve more than 500,000 homes. Central Arizona Project will provide $5 million and the Arizona Department of Water Resources will provide $1 million for environmental planning of the Regional Recycled Water Program, which will purify treated wastewater to produce a new, droughtproof water supply for Southern California. If the full project is developed, it would cost $3.4 billion and improve sustainability of Colorado River water supplies. Environmental planning for the project began last year and will cost about $30 million over three years. Officials said the investment by Arizona agencies could lead to a long-term agreement to fund the project’s
construction and operation, in which the Arizona agencies help offset the project’s cost for Metropolitan, and in return receives Colorado River water. “This project could help the entire Southwest. We know that eliminating the supply-demand imbalance that threatens the Colorado River will take both reducing demand, through conservation, and adding new supplies, like recycled water,” Metropolitan Water District General Manager Adel Hagekhalil said in a statement. “That’s why our partners in the Lower Basin are interested in helping us develop the project.” The feasibility of developing the project will be determined following the environmental planning process. “We are eager to further our partnership with the Metropolitan Water District to collaboratively explore and develop opportunities to improve the long-term reliability and resiliency of our shared resource
See Water recycling plant page 5