Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Faces Criticism for Campaign Funding Methods

Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under scrutiny after an ad revealed campaign contributions for her re-election would be matched by taxpayer money. During the ad, posted on her campaign’s X account, Bass emphasized the importance of donations, stating, “Your donation to our campaign right now is more critical than ever before.” She further explained the city’s super match program, where each qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-to-1 by the city.

California’s election results remain undecided as ballot counting in Los Angeles continues. Bass noted that a $5 donation would become $35, while $25 would rise to $175, thanks to the matching program. This system aimed to maximize campaign funds has sparked concern among taxpayers and officials.

Roxanne Hoge, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, criticized the system to Fox News Digital, likening it to a lavish game setup where rules benefit those in power. She emphasized that although everything about this system is legal, it appears skewed to enrich select individuals.

Almost none of the money that Los Angeles takes in is used for things that make sense, replied Hoge, expressing disappointment over resource allocation.

Despite these concerns, Karen Bass’ campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Her campaign prompted online criticism, particularly since this system has been operational for mayoral candidates since the 1990s.

Michael Shellenberger, an author and University of Austin professor, commented, “This is grotesque.” Similarly, Richard Grenell, from the Trump administration, remarked, “Outrageous.”

City campaign rules require qualified candidates to sign a statement accepting matching funds, stipulating various conditions, such as having 100 donors contributing over $5 each and holding public events. Donors must reside in Los Angeles, and only donations from Angelenos qualify for matching.

The program’s legality relies on city laws enacted since 1990. The maximum individual donation eligible for the match is $257, which, with a 6-to-1 match, equals $1,799. There’s a cap of over $1.5 million on matched funds per candidate in the general election.