Karen Bass Promotes 6-to-1 Taxpayer Match for Reelection Donations, Drawing Scrutiny Over $1.5 Million Cap
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Karen Bass Promotes 6-to-1 Taxpayer Match for Reelection Donations, Drawing Scrutiny Over $1.5 Million Cap
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Summary
A viral campaign video put Karen Bass under fresh scrutiny after she urged Los Angeles residents to donate to her reelection bid through a city program that matches qualified contributions 6-to-1 with public funds.
Bass said a $5 donation becomes $35 and $25 becomes $175; under city rules, the maximum matchable gift is $257, which can be boosted to $1,799.
Los Angeles' public-financing system is legal and longstanding: mayoral candidates have been eligible since 1990, and the current 6-to-1 match took effect in 2019.
Qualified candidates must opt in, face an opponent, hold at least one town hall or debate, and show support from at least 100 Los Angeles donors; matched funds are capped at just over $1.5 million in the general election.
Critics including local GOP chair Roxanne Hoge and several conservative commentators blasted the program as misuse of taxpayer money, while Bass' campaign did not respond to a request for comment.