Steve Hilton shared a video of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass promoting the city’s program that matches qualifying campaign contributions with public funds. Hilton blasted the system as “legalized thievery” and used it to urge California voters to vote against Proposition 4, a November ballot measure that would allow state and local governments to establish public campaign financing programs.
Proposition 4 would not itself establish a statewide 6-to-1 matching program. Instead, it would repeal California’s current prohibition on public campaign financing and allow state and local governments to create such programs, subject to certain restrictions.
The video shows a clip of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaking outdoors while holding a microphone. In the footage, she says, “Every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6 to 1 by the city.”
It then cuts to Steve Hilton as he responds: “It’s not the city; it’s taxpayers. They have endlessly increased taxes in LA. And now she’s taking your money for her pathetic political campaigns. Well, guess what, that is now coming statewide because of the corrupt scumbags here who want to take your tax money to fund their campaigns thanks to Proposition 4. Absolutely outrageous. No on Prop 4.” The clip concludes with on-screen text reading “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” followed by a graphic promoting Hilton for governor.
According to Hilton’s post, the matching arrangement means “$1 donated to Karen Bass = $6 STOLEN from taxpayers,” and he urges a vote against Proposition 4. The video does not include the full original remarks from Bass beyond the selected portion shown.
Online Takes on the Taxpayer Campaign Video
Some users questioned the legality of the arrangement, writing, “How is this even allowed?” and “No way this is legal!”
Others described it as corruption, commenting, “That’s blatant corruption and money laundering for taxpayers paying for voting” and “Unbelievable. A mayor can openly rob taxpayers’ $.”
Additional responses focused on the impact on residents, including “And she laughs in the taxpayer’s face as she does it” and “Six to one is the part nobody explains at the town hall. Taxpayers fund the campaign, then get told there is no money for the streets.”
California voters will decide Proposition 4 on November 3. A “yes” vote would allow state and local governments to create public campaign financing programs under specified restrictions, while a “no” vote would maintain the current prohibition for the state and most local governments.
