WA mayor in drug dealer photo 'scandal'

A West Australian mayor says a photo of him with notorious drug dealer Frank La Rosa merely shows his loyalty to a childhood friend.

A West Australian mayor says a photo of him with a convicted drug dealer and murderer shows his loyalty to a childhood friend.

The photo, from a 2007 trip in Vietnam, shows City of Stirling mayor Giovanni Italiano with convicted drug dealer Frank La Rosa, Frank Mikhail - who was convicted of murdering La Rosa and his wife - and Antonio Fazari, who owned the property where the bodies were found in 2009.

Mr Italiano's lawyer John Hammond read a statement on 6PR radio, which said Mr Italiano had never denied a childhood friendship with La Rosa, nor had he ever condoned or sought to excuse his behaviour.

Mr Italiano claims the photo is part of a smear campaign against him and says he never had any business dealings with La Rosa or his associates.

"The only story these pictures tell is I made a choice not to disown a long-time childhood friend," the statement read.

"That choice in no way implicates me in any wrongdoing, nor does it in any way bring my integrity into question.

"I understand that people who serve in public office must accept scrutiny, but I do not accept that this scrutiny should be informed by baseless innuendo."