Spencer Pratt, a candidate for Los Angeles mayor, is asking the Los Angeles Times to retract an article that raised doubts about fire survivors from Palisades being eligible to run due to their residency status.
On Friday, Pratt’s team sent a letter to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Times, accusing the publication of “deliberately and maliciously publishing false information.” They requested a response by 9 a.m. on April 13.
An April 6 article titled “Spencer Pratt’s move to Santa Barbara County after Palisades mansion burns down casts doubt on his eligibility to run for Los Angeles mayor” cited various individuals questioning his residency in Los Angeles and mentioned his temporary move to Santa Barbara County.
The article featured remarks from local business managers and officials who, while voicing concerns about Pratt’s residency, did not provide substantial evidence for their claims.
After losing his home in the 2025 L.A. wildfires, Pratt returned to his parents’ home in Santa Barbara County. Currently, he has an Airstream trailer on the lot where his house once stood.
Pratt’s team noted that one of the article’s writers, Goldberg, indicated that a backlash was anticipated in response to its publication.
They believe the Times’ portrayal of Pratt’s residential situation and qualifications exhibited “actual malice,” arguing that the reporters neglected to consider the laws permitting fire victims to run for mayor, which includes specific eligibility criteria.
In their letter, Pratt’s team stated, “It’s clear that Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Winton intentionally avoided conducting a fair investigation before publishing misleading information.”
Moreover, they suspect the Times aimed to create negative sentiments about Pratt’s campaign.
Pratt is competing against current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Interestingly, Soon-Shiong had previously referred to the Times’ endorsement of Bass in 2022 as “a mistake.”
As a city employee, Pratt believes that his certification as a candidate, alongside endorsements from groups like the Palisades Survivors Team, reinforces his eligibility to run for mayor. They argue that questioning this is “reckless.”
Also, Pratt’s team reacted to the Times’ request for the city clerk’s office to provide confidential information about his eligibility, comparing it to requiring passport holders to prove citizenship in an unreasonable manner.
An email from his party to the city clerk confirmed that Pratt’s candidacy had been approved based on rules concerning wildfire evacuations. The city acknowledged that fire victims could temporarily maintain their vacant lots as primary residences, thus allowing them to vote and run for office during periods of reconstruction.
The California Post reached out to the Los Angeles Times for a response.
