Rick Caruso stokes talk about his political ambitions

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s Dakota Smith steering the ship, with help from David Zahniser and Rebecca Ellis.

Real estate developer Rick Caruso made it clear two years ago that he wouldn’t run again for Los Angeles mayor if he lost to Karen Bass.

But lately, Caruso has been behaving a bit like a candidate.

The mega-wealthy businessman sent out a poll to his email subscribers last month, asking them about the city’s handling of street repairs while noting how easy it is to “hit a pothole the size of a manhole cover” when exiting the 405 Freeway.

“It’s a headache many of us deal with every day in Los Angeles — one I experienced myself on the way to an event just the other day,” he wrote.

Caruso criticized the city’s use of LAPD officers to guard the downtown skyscrapers that were tagged with graffiti earlier this year, telling NBC4 that it is a “waste of our officers’ time, money and our taxpaying dollars.”

He is also raising his Democratic fundraising profile, helping host events for congressional candidates in California and around the country.

Two years after Bass beat Caruso by nearly 10 percentage points, the developer’s moves are raising questions about whether he’ll run for mayor again, or declare himself a candidate in another high-profile race, such as California governor.

Caruso declined an interview request with The Times this week. A person familiar with his strategy told The Times that the developer hasn’t ruled out a run for either mayor or governor in 2026.

Last time, Caruso spent more than $100 million of his own fortune in his bid to become mayor.

For now, Caruso is using his newsletter and email list to share his thoughts on city policies, including homelessness, and to poll the public on what they want to see.

“We must demand greater accountability from HACLA and other involved agencies,” Caruso wrote in May, linking to a Westside Current story about the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles allowing properties meant for homeless housing to remain vacant.

He helped co-host a fundraiser for President Biden in December and has co-hosted fundraisers for candidates this election cycle, including Montana Sen. Jon Tester, congressional candidate Will Rollins in California’s Inland Empire and Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, according to the person familiar with Caruso’s strategy.

“Stick with the central theme of getting moderates in the House,” Caruso told Politico last fall about his fundraising. “I am not out to support extremists or, frankly, ideologues.”

Caruso’s spending could help counter a criticism he faced during the mayoral election two years ago — that he wasn’t a true Democrat because of his past affiliation as a Republican.

Closer to home, Caruso plowed $25,000 into a new PAC affiliated with Thrive L.A., a group dedicated to electing moderate Democratic candidates in Los Angeles.

In the March primary, the PAC supported Deputy City Atty. Ethan Weaver, who waged an unsuccessful campaign against Councilmember Nithya Raman in her Silver Lake-to-Reseda district. Weaver attacked Raman on police funding and homelessness, issues that Caruso also highlighted in his failed bid for mayor.

Political experts interviewed by The Times said that Caruso is clearly setting himself up in case he decides to run for mayor again or enter the governor’s race.

So far, the field of declared candidates for governor includes Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, California Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, state Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and former state Controller Betty Yee.

But Caruso’s support for Weaver, who trailed Raman by more than 10 points, could demonstrate to the public that he’s out of touch with L.A.’s electorate. And Thrive L.A.’s own polling, released earlier this year, shows that Bass is still relatively popular.

Around Los Angeles City Hall this week, several councilmembers declined to comment when asked about a Caruso-Bass rematch or a Caruso run for governor. “No,” said Council President-elect Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a Bass ally, when asked if he wanted to weigh in.

Sam Yebri, president of Thrive L.A., also declined to speculate about Caruso’s future but said he appreciates the developer’s “willingness to engage on really important issues,” particularly public safety, housing and economic development.

“Nothing will change unless Angelenos with a major platform like he has use it to highlight the dissatisfaction with current policies,” said Yebri, who wants the city to be more aggressive on hiring more police officers, for instance.

Caruso’s flirtation with running for the city’s top job is not new. Ahead of the 2013 mayoral election, he also stoked talk of a run but opted not to jump in.

State of play

— HERE COMES HARRIS-DAWSON: In a shock to no one, City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson succeeded in his bid for the council presidency on Tuesday, with the council voting 14 to 0 to put him in the post. He is set to take over on Sept. 20, replacing Paul Krekorian. Harris-Dawson, who represents part of South Los Angeles, is a close ally of Mayor Karen Bass.

— BACKING BASS: A Superior Court judge threw out a lawsuit from the Westside group Fix the City challenging the city’s emergency declaration on homelessness, handing a major victory to Bass. That declaration provided the mayor with greater power to award contracts, enter into lease agreements, suspend competitive bidding and more. Judge Curtis A. Kin found that the emergency declaration was not in conflict with city and state laws.

— VAX FACTS: L.A. could soon end its requirement for city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. City officials are recommending that the council end the requirement as soon as next week, according to a newly released report. The COVID vaccination rule was first approved during the coronavirus pandemic nearly three years ago.

— FLYING THE FLAG: The City Council approved a measure on Friday to allow the Progress Pride Flag to be flown at City Hall, just in time for the start of Pride month recognizing the LGBTQ+ community. The vote took place one week after L.A. County was sued by a lifeguard who alleged he was punished for taking down Pride flags hoisted at Dockweiler Beach. Jeffrey Little, a devout evangelical, said he had told higher-ups that he wanted to be exempt from the county policy ordering the raising of the flags.

—TURNSTILE BLUES: Fare dodgers who don’t pay at Metro’s North Hollywood Station may be subject to a $75 fine following the launch of a new program that makes passengers tap to enter and leave the station.

— TEACHER TIME: City Council candidate Ysabel Jurado, who is running against Councilmember Kevin de León in the Nov. 5 election, announced Friday that she has picked up the endorsement of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents instructors at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez publicly signed on to Jurado’s campaign earlier in the week.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s program to combat homelessness went to two encampment locations over the last week: Sixth Street and Van Ness Avenue, just east of Getty House; and Sunset Boulevard at Cherokee Avenue, on the sidewalks around the recording studio known as Sunset Sound. More than 30 people were moved indoors during those operations, according to the mayor’s team.

• On the docket for next week: The City Council meets Tuesday to discuss a proposed measure for the Nov. 5 ballot to rework the disciplinary system at the Los Angeles Police Department. The proposal would undo some of the changes brought about by Charter Amendment C, the 2017 measure that gave civilians a larger role in reviewing disciplinary cases.