Los Angeles’ ethics watchdog has quietly altered election guidelines, enabling a significant $500,000 fund for Kenneth Mejia, a radical socialist and current city administrator tasked with overseeing the management of billions in public funds.
The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission removed the requirement for candidates to partake in public debates to qualify for taxpayer-supported campaign financing, thus providing Mejia with a substantial financial boost just weeks before the primary on June 2.
This alteration grants Mejia a considerable edge in the upcoming election.
Rick Taylor, a veteran political consultant supporting Mejia’s opponent, Zach Sokoloff, expressed outrage, stating, “This is the most outrageous thing of my career,” and referred to the commission as the “unethical department,” highlighting the unprecedented nature of these changes.
Previously, candidates were able to receive a match of $6 in public funds for every $1 raised privately, contingent upon their participation in public debates. This rule would have entitled candidates to around $504,000 for the controller position.
The city anticipates distributing up to $15 million in the primary election.
The shift in rules aligns with Sokoloff’s choice to forgo both debates and taxpayer funding. Under the prior rules, this decision would have hindered Mejia’s ability to access public funds or debate at all.
However, shortly after Sokoloff’s team informed the City Prosecutor’s Ethics Commission of their choice, the commission unexpectedly revised the rules.
“They didn’t react. They just changed the rules,” Taylor noted.
The new guidelines now allow campaigns to organize their own town hall-type gatherings instead of formal debates to qualify for matching funds, effectively enabling Mejia to access funds that were formerly restricted.
Earning around $274,000 annually, Mejia has crafted a reputation as a financial watchdog, often criticizing police spending and advocating for initiatives like income and housing guarantees. Yet, his record faces criticism.
His spending decisions have drawn intense scrutiny—over $2.6 billion has been spent since 2020 on acquiring and renovating accommodations for the homeless, with some units costing as much as $1.5 million each.
Despite this, he authored just 11 audits in three years, markedly fewer than his predecessor, who completed 108. Mejia’s focus included a notable audit of the LAPD’s $46 million helicopter program, but critics argue he has overlooked the substantial funds allocated to homelessness programs.
These funds comprise about $1.3 billion from Governor Gavin Newsom’s HomeKey initiative, along with an equal contribution from the city and county of Los Angeles.
Mejia had committed to auditing Mayor Karen Bass’s “Inside Safe” homelessness plan, yet that review remains pending after nearly three years.
Simultaneously, Sokoloff’s campaign highlights that hundreds of millions in unpaid marijuana taxes exist, and only five of the roughly 40 city departments have undergone audits during Mejia’s time in office.
“The people of Los Angeles are paying for that,” Sokoloff remarked.
The newspaper reached out to Mejia’s campaign and the city’s Ethics Commission for their comments.
