With a week to go before election day, more than $4 million in independent expenditures have been spent by special interest groups hoping to influence the outcomes of the seven L.A. City Council races on the March 5 ballot. And more than half that amount has gone toward just two races – both in the San Fernando Valley.
As of Monday evening, Feb. 26, more than $2.45 million of the estimated $4.09 million in independent expenditures, or 60%, had been spent on just the District 4 and 12 races, with both races surpassing the $1 million mark from special interest spending, according to the latest filings with the city’s ethics commission.
In District 4, where Councilmember Nithya Raman is hoping to fend off two challengers, special interest groups have poured more than $1.4 million into either promoting or attacking her — or her best known challenger, Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney Ethan Weaver.
In District 12 in the Northwest Valley, more than $1.02 million had been spent by special interest groups – all in support of Councilmember John Lee or in attacking his opponent, former Los Angeles City Ethics Commission board president Serena Oberstein. The support for Lee comes amid allegations of ethics violations that the councilmember has vehemently denied and is contesting.
There is no doubt that spending by special interest groups can sway an election, but just how much bang are these groups getting for their bucks?
Cal State Northridge political science professor Tom Hogen-Esch said there comes a point when people’s mailboxes become so inundated with campaign mailers that it’s questionable how much information actually gets through to voters.
“After a certain point, the money doesn’t have the impact that people think it will. It reaches a saturation point and voters just take the mailers and put (them) right in the trash,” he said.
Still, that hasn’t stopped special interest groups from pumping money into the races.
District 4
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