Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford gave his first press briefing Monday since the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged him with conspiracy, perjury and conflict of interest late last month.

But the beleaguered city leader didn’t address the charges against him. Instead, he talked about issues related to Tuesday’s City Council meeting — also the first since Ledford was charged — and referred all questions about the controversy to his attorney.

When asked about the charges, Ledford, 63, said he would not talk about them or issue a statement. He directed questions to attorney Anthony Falangetti, who did not immediately respond to phone or email requests.

On June 21, the DA’s office filed a criminal complaint alleging Ledford illegally received roughly $500,000 in payments over several years through consultants to the city and didn’t disclose those payments, even though he was required to as a public official. The complaint alleged the consultants set up shell companies to make payments to Ledford and that the Palmdale mayor didn’t perform any “substantial work” for at least one of the companies for which he was a paid consultant.

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Ledford stated Monday that he was not arrested after the charges were filed, and his attorney has previously said his client didn’t break any laws.

Ledford is still the city’s mayor and said he will attend Tuesday’s 7 p.m. City Council meeting but his attorney would not.

Council member Austin Bishop, who has asked the mayor to temporarily step down while the investigation is ongoing, also attended Monday’s press briefing.

Bishop made no comments about the charges against Ledford and instead stuck to Tuesday’s City Council agenda in his remarks. The councilman said after the briefing that he didn’t think the mayor would step down.

“I don’t think that is going to happen,” Bishop said after the mayor had departed. “You can probably strike that one.”

The councilman said his relationship with Ledford has changed since Bishop made his comments about the investigation.

“He’s been pretty quiet with me,” Bishop explained.

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Despite his strained relationship with the mayor, Bishop said he is trying to bring “transparency” to the council. He’s been working with city staff and City Manager Jim Purtee to get information on any contracts associated with the charges and determine whether those contracts are ongoing.

“I’m still waiting on it,” Bishop explained, adding that he “absolutely” would share any information he receives with residents.

Email requests to councilmembers Steven D. Hofbauer, Laura Bettencourt and Juan Carrillo for comment about the case went unreturned Monday.

Ledford’s Long Beach-based attorney has said his client plans to enter a not guilty plea.

“His innocence is going to come forward,” Falangetti said on June 21. According to the complaint, two consultants to the city — Kimberly Anne Shaw, 62, of Yorba Linda and Susan Burgess Miller, 68, of Las Vegas — paid Ledford about $5,200 a month through shell companies starting in 2009 and through last May.

Shaw and Miller were charged in the complaint along with Ledford. They each face a conspiracy count, as well as one count each of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. The charges could bring them up to four years each in prison if they are convicted.

Ledford is scheduled to be arraigned on July 26.

Staff writers Antonie Boessenkool, Ryan Fonseca and Scott Schwebke contributed to this report.