Mayoral campaign accused of undisclosed influencer payments, backed by rival campaign's legal aid

Influencers Kaitlyn Hennessy and Beatrice Gomberg submitted ethics complaints to the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, alleging that Nithya Raman’s mayoral campaign paid social media figures without the required disclosures. The complaints focus on content from Adam Conover and Eric Cheng, and were drafted with help from the Kaufman Legal Group, the firm representing Mayor Karen Bass’s campaign, which is covering the legal fees.

Raman’s campaign and the accused influencers have refuted the allegations, stating that payments were for legitimate services and that disclosure guidelines were followed. Legal analysts note that such a complaint is acceptable provided the campaign reports the expenses transparently. Ongoing investigations by both the FPPC and the LA Ethics Commission continue, and recent state legislation now allows for potential misdemeanor charges and fines for undisclosed influencer payments.