By: Eye On Inglewood Staff Writer
September 3, 2024
Angie Reyes English, a former senior field deputy for former Inglewood Councilman (who served from 1993 to 1997 and 2001 to 2006) and current Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price, is suing the city of Los Angeles. English alleges she was wrongfully terminated in January by Price's office, claiming she was labeled a "snitch" for providing prosecutors with information about the councilman and alleged pay-for-play schemes.
The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for lost wages and emotional distress. The City Attorney's Office has not yet responded to the suit, which was filed on Friday.
English had worked for the city since July 2013 as a senior field deputy, also known as a council aide, in Price's council district 9. She had previously worked for Price for six years when he served in the state assembly and state senate.
In June 2023, the District Attorney's Office charged Price, now 73, with 10 criminal counts of grand theft by embezzlement, conflict of interest, and perjury. Prosecutors allege that Price participated in pay-for-play schemes that benefited his wife's company and were not disclosed on government financial forms.
According to the lawsuit, Price and his close associates, including Deputy Chief of Staff Jose Ugarte, believed that English had provided information to prosecutors or other government agencies. The suit states that Ugarte told English that district 9 employees were angry at her, believing she had helped with the case against the councilman.
English reported the intimidation to her supervisors and human resources, but in July 2023, she was placed on an involuntary medical leave until October of that year. Upon her return, the lawsuit claims, she faced further harassment that damaged her reputation. The suit alleges that her supervisor instructed others to keep an eye on her.
Believing the alleged harassment violated the state Labor Code, English was ultimately terminated on January 9, leaving a "permanent black stain on her previously untarnished work record," the lawsuit states.
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