{"id":783320,"date":"2026-05-09T02:50:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T02:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/783320\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T02:50:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T02:50:21","slug":"cd9-candidates-center-on-ethics-and-accountability-as-the-curren-price-case-heads-to-trial-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/783320\/","title":{"rendered":"CD9 candidates center on ethics and accountability, as the Curren Price case heads to trial \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price\u2019s corruption case moves toward trial, candidates vying to represent Council District 9 are increasingly centering their campaigns around transparency, accountability and public trust \u2014 themes several said resonate with frustrated voters across South Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>Candidates for District 9 interviewed by the Southern California News Group said many residents increasingly connect ethics and accountability concerns at City Hall with broader frustrations over neighborhood conditions, city services and economic investment in the district.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I hear constantly while canvassing is \u2018Where is our tax money going?\u2019\u201d candidate Jorge Nu\u00f1o, a South Los Angeles entrepreneur, said in a statement to SCNG. \u201cPeople look around at illegal dumping, broken sidewalks, homelessness, streetlights not working, and neglected corridors, and they feel like the community has been left behind. Many residents openly say things like, \u2018If there are corruption allegations, no wonder nothing is getting done.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Council District 9 covers much of South Los Angeles and downtown-adjacent neighborhoods south of the city core.<\/p>\n<p>Price, who has represented the district since 2013, faces a dozen felony charges, including grand theft by embezzlement of public funds, conflict of interest and perjury.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors allege Price failed to disclose payments received by a company owned by his wife from developers and public agencies with matters pending before the City Council, and failed to recuse himself from votes involving those projects.<\/p>\n<p>Price <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynews.com\/2026\/04\/10\/la-councilmember-curren-price-pleads-not-guilty-in-corruption-case\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">has pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied wrongdoing<\/a>. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 5.<\/p>\n<p>Price is set to leave office in December 2026 due to term limits, and six candidates are running to replace him in the June 2 primary:\u00a0 Estuardo Mazariegos, Jorge Nu\u00f1o, Elmer G. Roldan, Jorge Hernandez Rosas, Martha Sanchez and Jose Ugarte \u2014 Price\u2019s former deputy chief of staff.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mng-gallery-initialized mng-gallery-slider\">\n<li data-index=\"1\" class=\"mng-ge mng-gallery-active\" id=\"mng-ge-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jorge Hernando Rosas is a candidate for Los Angeles City...\" class=\"size-article_inline\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-JORSEROSAS-01-1.jpg\"\/>\n<p>Jorge Hernando Rosas is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Jorge Hernando Rosas)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"2\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Estuardo Mazariegos is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-EMAZARIEGOS-01-1.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-EMAZARIEGOS-01-1.jpg\"\/>\n<p>Estuardo Mazariegos is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Estuardo Mazariegos\u2019 campaign)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"3\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jorge Nu\u00c3\u00b1o is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-JORGENUNO-01-1.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-JORGENUNO-01-1.jpg\"\/>\n<p>Jorge Nu\u00f1o is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Jorge Nu\u00f1o)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"4\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Elmer Roldan is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-ELMERROLDAN-01-1.jpeg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-ELMERROLDAN-01-1.jpeg\"\/>\n<p>Elmer Roldan is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Elmer Roldan)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"5\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Martha S\u00c3\u00a1nchez is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-MARTHASANCHEZ-02.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-MARTHASANCHEZ-02.jpg\"\/>\n<p>Martha S\u00e1nchez is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Martha S\u00e1nchez\u2019s campaign)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"6\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jose Ugarte is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-JOSEUGARTE-01-1.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LDN-L-VG-JOSEUGARTE-01-1.jpg\"\/>\n<p>Jose Ugarte is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Jose Ugarte\u2019s campaign)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 6<\/p>\n<p>Jorge Hernando Rosas is a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9 in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Jorge Hernando Rosas)\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Several candidates said the case has intensified conversations around ethics and accountability, while also highlighting broader frustrations residents already had with City Hall responsiveness and city services.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery person I talk to shares a deep concern about broken trust in Councilman Price, Jose Ugarte, and the CD9 staff,\u201d said Roldan, executive director of the student support nonprofit Communities In Schools of Los Angeles. \u201cThey also share a great sense of hope that change is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While the candidates\u2019 proposals vary, many call for stronger ethics oversight, tighter campaign finance restrictions, expanded disclosure requirements and greater transparency around city spending, lobbying activity and constituent services.<\/p>\n<p>Hernandez Rosas, a mental health therapist, said he would support stronger financial disclosure requirements, stricter conflict-of-interest rules and greater transparency around city contracts, lobbying activity and discretionary spending.<\/p>\n<p>In his response to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynews.com\/voter-guide\/?source=homewidget\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SCNG\u2019s voter guide questionnaire<\/a>, Hernandez Rosas also called for \u201czero tolerance for corruption or misuse of public funds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mazariegos, who co-directs the housing and tenants\u2019 rights organization Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment \u2013 LA, said his campaign refuses donations from lobbyists, corporations and others with financial interests in City Hall decisions. He also proposed expanding pay-to-play restrictions, increasing disclosure requirements and strengthening whistleblower protections.<\/p>\n<p>Mazariegos described ethics and corruption concerns as \u201cinescapable issues\u201d in the race and said residents often connect City Hall controversies with frustrations over poor city services and neighborhood conditions.<\/p>\n<p>College professor Sanchez said she is running without political or corporate endorsements and supports creating independent civilian oversight bodies with subpoena and investigative powers, along with grassroots oversight efforts aimed at holding elected officials directly accountable to residents.<\/p>\n<p>She added that constituents \u201care deeply concerned about the history of corruption and systemic favors that have marginalized our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>California Common Cause said ethics controversies can shape elections and affect public trust in government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLos Angeles has experienced a significant number of ethics and corruption scandals over the past seven years,\u201d said Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics &amp; accountability program manager at California Common Cause. \u201cRepeated controversies can both anger voters and discourage participation in elections and the broader democratic process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McMorris pointed to the city\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynews.com\/2026\/05\/01\/la-begins-review-of-charter-reform-plan-that-could-reshape-city-hall\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> ongoing charter reform process<\/a> as a potential opportunity to strengthen Ethics Commission independence and accountability measures.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed reforms include creating an inspector general function within the Ethics Commission, allowing the commission to hire independent legal counsel and clarifying procedures for temporarily suspending councilmembers facing trial.<\/p>\n<p>McMorris also said corruption indictments and convictions have played a significant role in City Council turnover over the last several election cycles.<\/p>\n<p>Price\u2019s case follows several years of high-profile ethics and corruption scandals involving Los Angeles elected officials, including former Councilmember Jose Huizar, Mitch Englander and Mark Ridley-Thomas.<\/p>\n<p>Ugarte, Price\u2019s former deputy chief of staff, has also emphasized accountability and transparency in his campaign platform. In response to SCNG\u2019s voter guide questionnaire, Ugarte called for greater fiscal accountability and support for the ongoing City Charter reform process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe that the keys to transparency and accountability are open communication and the courage to make necessary demands,\u201d Ugarte said.<\/p>\n<p>Ugarte previously agreed to a $25,000 settlement with the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission over failing to disclose outside income earned through his consulting firm while serving as a City Hall aide to Price. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2025-10-21\/l-a-city-council-candidate-fined-ethics-violation?_gl=1*84388u*_gcl_au*MjExMTE3MDg5My4xNzc0OTAyNTI1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">He previously described the issue as \u201cclerical error\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>His campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.<\/p>\n<p>But Price\u2019s spokesperson pushed back on efforts to frame the race primarily around ethics controversies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJos\u00e9 Ugarte is on the ballot, not Curren Price,\u201d Price\u2019s spokesperson Angelina Valencia-Dumarot said in a statement to this outlet. \u201cCouncilmember Price\u2019s matter is continuing through the legal process, and he remains confident the facts will vindicate him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Valencia-Dumarot said Ugarte left Price\u2019s office months ago and is running an independent campaign focused on his public service record. She also noted that he has received endorsements from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, several City Council members, labor groups representing firefighters and labor leader Dolores Huerta.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoters deserve a conversation about public safety, homelessness, housing, jobs, and the future of Council District 9; not political attacks aimed at smearing a candidate through association or recycling baseless allegations for political gain,\u201d Valencia-Dumarot said.<\/p>\n<p>Still, several candidates argued that restoring confidence in City Hall has become inseparable from addressing the district\u2019s day-to-day concerns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCD 9 deserves leadership with integrity, transparency, and a deep commitment to the people who live here,\u201d Roldan said. \u201cThis moment amplifies the tension between government accountability and the urgent needs of our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price\u2019s corruption case moves toward trial, candidates vying to represent Council District&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":600256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[7373,1582,276,90,2961,224,6080,5337,50,52],"class_list":{"0":"post-783320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-2026-elections","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-elections","12":"tag-la","13":"tag-los-angeles","14":"tag-los-angeles-county","15":"tag-losangeles","16":"tag-news","17":"tag-top-stories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116542349849572392","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/783320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=783320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/783320\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/600256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=783320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=783320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=783320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}