Los Angeles lawmakers could yank money away from a fund that was controlled by the office of Councilman Jose Huizar, who has been accused by federal prosecutors of heading a pay-to-play scheme fueled by bribes.
At a meeting Tuesday, a council committee backed the move by Mayor Eric Garcetti, recommending that money anticipated under a development deal be reallocated to other city funds. The decision now heads to the full council for approval.
Huizar, who has been suspended by the council, was arrested last month and charged with racketeering in an ongoing corruption case. His attorneys say he “intends to respond to the government’s allegations in court.”
Amid the federal probe, Garcetti sought to roll back a city decision tied to Huizar, vetoing the development agreement for a Fashion District project called City Market of Los Angeles. Under such agreements, developers agree to provide community benefits in exchange for legal protections for their projects.
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