Longtime LA politician guilty on federal corruption charges

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A longtime Los Angeles politician has been convicted on federal corruption charges. Former Democratic City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was a fixture in local politics for decades. He was found guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court of seven felonies, including conspiracy, bribery and fraud. He was convicted in a scheme in which prosecutors said he promised to help steer a multimillion-dollar government contract to the University of Southern California if his son got a scholarship and a teaching job. The Los Angeles City Council suspended Ridley-Thomas in October 2021, shortly after he was charged. With his conviction, the seat becomes vacant. Ridley-Thomas has denied wrongdoing.