State to Review Mayor’s Role in Council Action Over Easement : Lancaster: Two city councilmen say they will demand an explanation from William Pursley at a closed council session on Thursday.

State authorities, who are already investigating Lancaster Mayor William Pursley, will expand the probe to determine if he violated the law by voting on property from which he received a sales commission of nearly $10,000, a spokeswoman for the Fair Political Practices Commission said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, two Lancaster city councilmen said they will demand an explanation from Pursley during a closed council session Thursday.

One called on Pursley to resign.

The developments were the result of stories in The Times this week reporting that Pursley in June introduced and voted for a motion by which the council reduced a street easement on property owned by a business partner.

The partner has said the action helped him close a pending sale, from which Pursley, a real estate agent, received a $9,780 commission.

FPPC spokeswoman Sandra Michioku said Tuesday that her agency will add Pursley’s role in the transaction to a continuing investigation of Pursley’s failure to disclose at least several hundred-thousand dollars of income and other economic interests last year.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office had said Monday that it was reviewing Pursley’s actions to determine whether to open a criminal investigation. Prosecutors Tuesday said they were still learning details of the episode and had no further comment.

State law forbids public officials from voting on or participating in government decisions affecting their financial interests.

Violators can be fined by the FPPC or criminally prosecuted.

Lancaster city officials said Pursley remained in Santa Barbara on Tuesday for a physical checkup and was unavailable for comment.

Previously, he had acknowledged introducing and voting on the council action affecting his partner’s property, but denied doing anything improper.

Lancaster councilmen George Theophanis and George Root said they want Pursley to explain his actions at Thursday’s council meeting.

They said the council might consider stripping Pursley of his mayor’s position.

Theophanis, a political rival, said Pursley should resign from the council.