LAT: Mark Ridley-Thomas will ‘step back’ from council duties, but not resign

BY JULIA WICK, DAVID ZAHNISER, DAKOTA SMITH

Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was indicted last week on federal charges, said Monday that he will “immediately step back” from participation in City Council meetings and committees but will not resign.

In a letter to fellow council members, Ridley-Thomas said he will fight the “outrageous allegations” and plans to resume participation on the powerful legislative body “at the earliest appropriate time.”

“I fully appreciate the importance of the council being able to conduct its business with minimal distractions,” Ridley-Thomas said in the letter, adding that he was stepping back with that in mind.

Ridley-Thomas returned to the City Council — where he began his career as an elected official in 1991 — for his fourth and final term in 2020.

Ridley-Thomas is a highly influential player in city politics with deep ties in South Los Angeles, where has represented constituents at the municipal, county and state levels for three decades. Many community leaders have voiced support for the embattled politician, calling on him to hold firm in his position on the council.

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