Posted on 08/19/2026 2:27:13 PM PDT by DFG
Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing scrutiny after an online ad revealed that campaign contributions from supporters of her re-election bid would be matched by taxpayer dollars.
"Your donation to our campaign right now is more critical than ever before," said Bass, speaking into a lapel microphone with upbeat music playing in the background of the ad, which was posted to her campaign's X account.
"Let me explain," she continued. "Thanks to LA's super match program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-to-1 by the city. But after the primary, we had to start over from scratch, so we need you to rush your matching donation right now to help fuel this campaign."
Bass noted that chipping in $5 would equate to a $35 total donation, while $25 would become $175.
The explanation immediately raised eyebrows for those concerned that taxpayer dollars are being used as campaign contributions.
"It's a system they set up to enrich themselves and their friends and get themselves elected," Roxanne Hoge, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, told Fox News Digital in response to Bass' video.
"It's like when you're a kid, and the kid with the fancy ball gets to make all the rules of the game you're about to play. That's what this is."
But the system is perfectly legal.
"It's much like when people complain about election fraud in California. It's not fraud. Everything is codified just the way they like it," said Hoge.
"Almost none of the money that Los Angeles takes in is used for things that make sense," she continued. "Money goes to homelessness and it increases homelessness. Basically, nothing makes sense here, and this is another thing that doesn't make sense."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“Getting Ripped” is every Dems middle name. And they don’t give a sh—!
This is one of those, “this can’t be real” items from California, like the first time when the two candidates for California Senator were both Democrats.
“California voters will choose between two Democrats in the contest to replace U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, a historic matchup made possible by California’s top-two primary system.
State Attorney General Kamala Harris emerged the clear winner Tuesday night, followed by U.S. congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.”
Please explain how this is legal. (I know, it’s California).
Why don’t all the candidates use this too?
CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS LEGAL????
Ha haaaaaas! Take the money out of campaigns she said. Have a few laughs she said.
So? They obviously love her there. They got what they wanted in LA.
After the election, what becomes of any campaign funds left over?
Effem.
Excuse my language but this Bass lady is such a piece of shit. There’s just no better way to say it and it needs to be said.
I believe the a great many Democrat political campaigns have been largely funded by US taxpayers. I think it’s been going on for decades. USAID was part of it, but there are many channels.
Republicans, on the other hand, have to fund their own campaigns. Because, for them, it would be illegal to use tax dollars.
Los Angeles Supermatch Public Financing Program
A stronger public financing system in Los Angeles has reduce the influence of wealthy special interests in local elections.
Money in Politics
Anti-Corruption & Accountability: Working For The People
The vast majority of us know that money has too much influence in our politics and elections. That’s why California Common Cause has worked to build a democracy where everyone has an equal voice and equal say.
After years of advocacy, in 2019 California Common Cause helped strengthen the public matching funds program in Los Angeles. In a huge leap forward, the Los Angeles city council voted to move to a Supermatch public financing program. The most significant improvement to the program is an increased match rate, up from as low as 1:1 to a 6:1 match for participating candidates in both the primary and general elections.
The approved changes also included measures that will allow more candidates to be eligible for matching funds, including:
- Reducing the number of donations required for eligibility from 200 to 100
- Lowering the amount of each donation eligible for matching funds from $250 to $114 for Council candidates
- Requiring participation in a public debate for candidates to receive public matching funds
- Increasing the amount of funds available to candidates to $151,000 for the primary election and $189,000 for the general election
City Council candidates are also now required to meet a lower aggregate qualifying threshold of $11,400, down from $25,000, in order to become eligible to receive matching funds. This important reform has lowered the barriers that prevent grassroots candidates from running for office and has made the matching funds program more accessible than ever.
https://www.commoncause.org/california/work/los-angeles-supermatch-public-financing-program/
If the city has enough spare change to pay for political ads, it should not need any state or federal funds. For anything.
The reason I asked is that in the past, failed candidates have been allowed to spend any excess campaign funds. Now what if I should declare for office and donate say $10K to my campaign. Even if I lose, the city pays me $60K?
America is THISCLOSE to having it’s two largest cities run by Muslims.
Good point!
“California voters will choose between two Democrats.
The state with the highest school drop out rate in the nation it’s called normal by their terms.
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