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LA Controller Terminates Councilman Jose Huizar's Paychecks

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) ⁠— In the wake of federal racketeering and bribery charges against Councilman Jose Huizar and his suspension from the Los Angeles City Council, Controller Ron Galperin Monday moved to terminate the councilman's city salary payments.

Galperin said, per the city charter, Huizar was no longer eligible to draw a paycheck from the city after being suspended last Tuesday.

"While I believe strongly in the principle that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the shocking information about Mr. Huizar's misconduct is an unacceptable violation of the public trust," Galperin said in a memo to City Clerk Holly Wolcott. "As such, he should not and will not continue to receive any salary payments from my office and from the treasury of the people of Los Angeles."

The payroll section of Galperin's office is responsible for paying the salaries of all city employees and elected officials.

According to Galperin, Huizar's biweekly gross salary as a member of the city council was $8,192.85, which equates to an annual salary of about $213,833.40.

Huizar, 51, has been accused of accepting $1.5 million in bribes from developers in exchange for his support of downtown building projects. He was stripped of all committee assignments in Nov. 2018 after federal agents searched his home and offices, and he had recently scaled back his legislative activity at the request of Council President Nury Martinez.

Huizar is scheduled to be arraigned July 20.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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