One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Whitman Sets Record for Most Campaign Self-Financing in US History
Meg Whitman has set a new record, having now spent more of her own money on her gubernatorial campaign than any politician has spent in US history, according to abc7.
It was a $15 million check Whitman wrote to herself this week that broke the record, previously held by "fellow billionaire New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who spent $109 million in his bid for a third term last year." Whitman has now poured $119 million of her own money in the hopes of becoming California's next Republican governor.
This past weekend on "Meet the Press," Whitman's chief strategist Mike Murphy defended the candidate's spending, claiming that it was necessary in order to combat the voices of the state's public employee unions. Much of Whitman's money has gone to buy advertising time to point out Democratic rival Jerry Brown's flaws.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
