Two weeks before ballots are mailed, hundreds sign up to volunteer for Bass
By Nick Antonicello
Congresswoman Karen Bass rallied with more than 600 supporters Saturday in an exciting show of support just two and a half weeks before ballots will be mailed to voters in Los Angeles. More than a celebration, the event was a call to action in which hundreds signed up to knock doors and phone bank all around the city to elect Karen Bass.
Bass, a former state legislator, California Speaker and one of the most influential Democrats in California was the first-place finisher against billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who has unleashed a new wave of unprecedented campaign spending to succeed outgoing Mayor Eric Garcetti, nominated to become the Ambassador to India by President Joe Biden.
Bass, a life-long pro-choice advocate is claiming to be the only reproductive rights supporter when in fact Caruso is also pro-choice.
“My fellow Angelenos, we know the way forward,” said Rep. KarenBass. “We need real solutions, and new leadership at City Hall to get big things done – we need to house people immediately, we need to make Los Angeles safer, and we need to make our city more affordable for everyone. Today, looking out at this crowd, I am filled with hope because I know that forward is where we’re going, and together is how we get there. We can do this in LA, and we will do this.”
The kickoff program also included remarks from Mark Gonzalez, Chair of the Los Angeles Democratic Party; Cathy Unger, Chair of the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project; Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo; comedian Cristela Alonzo; small business owner Joe Ward-Wallace, and avid primary election canvasser, Carol Gordon. The program was emceed by Yvette Nicole Brown.
View footage from the event HERE.
View photos HERE
Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass is building a coalition across every neighborhood in Los Angeles. She is the only candidate for Los Angeles Mayor endorsed by the Democratic Party. Since winning the primary, she has received more than 75 endorsements from community leaders, labor unions, and elected officials including U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
Click HERE for the full list of endorsements.
Caruso, who spent over $40,000,000 in the primary to secure a second-place finish believes corruption is a real concern given the recent indictment of former council member Mark Ridley-Thomas and the scandal around free scholarships at USC.
“Los Angeles has a corruption problem and the current system is not working. We’ve had three indictments in two years of City Council members; one has spent time in jail. The Office of the City Attorney has been under federal investigation and a top official has pled guilty to corruption charges. The former head of the DWP is serving time. Whoever is Mayor has to start off with a clean record. There are too many critical issues to have a leader who has their attention drawn into a federal corruption case where they have to prove they aren’t corrupt,” noted Margita Thompson, a spokesperson for the Caruso campaign.
The issue of partisan affiliation is also an issue where you have Bass, the longtime liberal Democrat, versus Caruso, the sometimes Republican turned independent who is now a registered Democrat who is touting his new party membership in his broadcast media purchase that is at saturation levels.
“Los Angeles residents need someone who puts their needs first. Rick Caruso is running because he believes he can make a difference in Angeleno’s quality of life, addressing issues that career politicians can’t and won’t. He will work for a dollar a year and isn’t beholden to special interests. Rick isn’t a politician and he is 100% focused on doing what is best for the people of Los Angeles,” observed Thompson.
Caruso, known to be a devout Catholic, tweeted recently that he’s pro-choice and that he “profoundly” disagrees with the recent opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.
Caruso in some respects shimmied his way out of the hot seat by claiming to be pro-choice and pledging a million dollars to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s efforts to push through a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights.
Nick Antonicello is a longtime Venetian covering the race for mayor and how it will impact the neighborhood of Venice. Have a take or tip on the race? Contact Antonicello online at nantoni@mindspring.com
