Failed recall effort bolstered Mayor Karen Bass's political standing instead

Failed recall effort bolstered Mayor Karen Bass's political standing instead

In the world of Los Angeles politics, the past week has been marked by a series of significant events.

Firstly, a controversial move by City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who named Dennis Zine for the city's Charter Reform Commission. This appointment has sparked debates among the city's residents.

Meanwhile, the race for various council seats has heated up. In the Westside council district, public interest lawyer Faizah Malik raised $127,360, but incumbent Councilmember Traci Park brought in a staggering $343,020 during the most recent filing period. The race to succeed outgoing Councilmember Bob Blumenfield in the West Valley saw Tim Gaspar and Barri Worth Girvan bring in substantial funds, with Girvan outraising Gaspar during the past half-year. However, Gaspar entered the race earlier and still has a significant cash advantage.

The race for South L.A. saw a standout performer in Jose Ugarte, hoping to succeed his boss, termed out Councilmember Curren Price. Ugarte raised a whopping $211,206, far outpacing his rivals.

The anti-recall campaign against Mayor Karen Bass collected more than four times the amount raised by Bass' official reelection campaign. Notably, former assembly speaker and Actum managing partner Fabian Nuñez donated $200,000 of his leftover campaign cash to the anti-recall campaign. However, the recall effort against Mayor Bass did not finish the necessary paperwork to begin gathering signatures.

The recall effort, launched by philanthropist Nicole Shanahan in early March, has since been abandoned. In June, the recall proponents announced that they would no longer pursue the recall and instead focus on holding elected officials accountable at the ballot box in 2026. The threat from the recall effort, according to Bass' campaign strategist Doug Herman, allowed them to mobilize and stockpile cash quickly.

The mayor's signature homelessness program has been met with protests from activists, who argue against moving people indoors. Bass has responded by criticizing the activists, stating that they should not advocate for people to stay in "these kind of conditions."

In other news, speakers at Los Angeles City Council meetings will be banned from using the N-word and the C-word. Monica Rodriguez, Valley Councilmember, did not report any fundraising in the latest filing period.

Lastly, it's worth noting the historical significance of the term "Trojan horse." In ancient Greece, a Trojan horse was a gift disguised as an attack. This deceptive tactic refers to a strategic deception where an attacker offers something that appears helpful or valuable but conceals harmful intent to manipulate or exploit the target. Similarly, in modern politics, a gift disguised as an attack can take the form of a seemingly beneficial offer or action that is actually intended to cause harm or gain advantage over the target.

References: 1. Trojan horse - Wikipedia 2. Gift disguised as an attack - Wikipedia

1. The controversial appointment of Dennis Zine to the city's Charter Reform Commission by City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield has caused debates among Los Angeles residents, reminiscent of the ancient Greek tactic of a Trojan horse, where a deceptive offer often conceals harmful intent.
2. The race for various council seats in Los Angeles has seen significant fundraising, with Faizah Malik and Traci Park in the Westside council district, Tim Gaspar and Barri Worth Girvan in the West Valley, and Jose Ugarte in South L.A., all raising substantial amounts of finance.
3. The anti-recall campaign against Mayor Karen Bass managed to collect significantly more funds than Bass' official reelection campaign, with high-profile figures such as Fabian Nuñez contributing, but the recall effort did not finish the necessary paperwork to begin gathering signatures.
4. In response to protests against her signature homelessness program, Mayor Karen Bass criticized activists who argue against moving people indoors, stating that they should not advocate for people to remain in "these kind of conditions."
5. The Los Angeles City Council has decided to ban speakers at its meetings from using the N-word and the C-word, demonstrating the government's role in regulating language and behavior, a common aspect of politics and law.

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