Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has received $7 million in recent donations from a hedge fund founder and a construction union. This financial surge comes as she challenges incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a race marked by heavy spending from corporate and police interests.
Aaron Sosnick and the Carpenters' $7 Million Bet on Nithya Raman
Campaign filings submitted by Thursday indicate that Aaron Sosnick, founder of the New York-based hedge fund A.R.T. Advisors, and the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters have each contributed $3 million to a committee supporting Nithya Raman. Additionally, Sosnick provided $1 million to a political committee linked to the street-safety organization Streets for All. This represents a significant shift in the political landscape, as the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents nearly 100,000 members in Southern California, previously endorsed Mayor Karen Bass in 2022 before switching its support to Raman in August.
The alignment between a high-frequency trader like Aaron Sosnick and a labor union suggests a coalition built around specific urban priorities. Sosnick has been a prominent backer of Measure HLA, a 2024 initiative aimed at mandating bike lanes and pedestrian safety upgrades during the repaving of major Los Angeles streets. By funding Nithya Raman, these donors are betting on a vision of the city that prioritizes transit reform and progressive infrastructure over the status quo maintained by the current administration.
Airbnb's $4 Million Push and the LAPD Union's War on Raman
While Nithya Raman has gained momentum, Mayor Karen Bass continues to draw substantial support from corporate and law enforcement interests. According to the report, Airbnb has contributed more than $4 million to groups backing Mayor Bass and three other candidates, including Jose Ugarte, Tim Gaspar, and John McKinney. Simultaneously, the LAPD officers' union has spent nearly $3 million opposing Nithya Raman and other candidates like Marissa Roy and Estuardo Mazariegos.
The LAPD union has specifically targeted Nithya Raman's stance on homelessness. Recent advertisements funded by the police union highlight Raman's opposition to banning homeless encampments near schools, using a clip where Raman argues that a child is not necessarily safer simply because a tent is located 500 feet away from a school. This aggressive spending strategy reflects a broader conflict in Los Angeles over the balance between humanitarian approaches to homelessness and strict enforcement of public space regulations.
The January 2025 Price Gouging Case and Frank McCourt's Gondola
The financial backing of Mayor Karen Bass by Airbnb is particularly notable given the current legal climate. As reported, the city attorney's office is currently pursuing a case against Airbnb regarding alleged price gouging following the fires of January 2025.. The outcome of the November election will determine who inherits this legal battle, and Airbnb has already sought assurances from Mayor Bass to relax regulations on renting investment properties and second homes through 2028.
Other wealthy interests are also leveraging their donations for specific infrastructure goals. Frank McCourt, a co-owner of the Dodger Stadium parking lot, contributed $25,000 to a pro-Bass group through his real estate firm. McCourt is currently seeking approvals for a proposed gondola project from the Metro board, an entity that Mayor Karen Bass currently chairs. this creates a pattern where the incumbent's control over city boards becomes a primary draw for high-net-worth donors with specific developmet interests.
The $1.5 Million Ad War and the Mystery of Future Spending
The race has reached a point of near-parity in terms of active advertising.. For the general election, outside groups have spent $1.57 million supporting Mayor Karen Bass and opposing Nithya Raman, while groups supporting Raman and opposing Bass have spent $1.53 million. This narrow margin suggests that the initial financial advantage held by the incumbent has been effectively neutralized by the recent influx of cash from Aaron Sosnick and the Carpenters union.
However, several critical unknowns remain as ballots begin reaching voters the week of October 5. It is unclear exactly how much of the remaining "millions" held by these outside groups will be deployed in the final stretch, or if the LAPD union will escalate its spending to counter the Raman surge. Furthermore, the source only details the spending of specific corporate and union entities,leaving the full extent of grassroots small-dollar donations for both Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman unquantified.
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