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Bass, Raman to talk homelessness, police at LA mayor race debate

Bass, Raman to talk homelessness, police at LA mayor race debate

The debate comes days after a poll showing Bass in the lead was reportedly revealed to be a sham.

Fake L.A. Mayoral Poll Raises Questions of Legality and Election Integrity

Fake L.A. Mayoral Poll Raises Questions of Legality and Election Integrity

A bogus opinion poll, published by a group named Median Strategies, falsely indicated Mayor Karen Bass held a significant lead over City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the Los Angeles mayoral race. The results of this fake poll were even promoted by Mayor Bass's account on X. Following inquiries by The Times, Median Strategies admitted the poll was a fabrication, claiming it was a 'social experiment to examine how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem.' This admission has prompted calls for investigation and prosecution from Mayor Bass's campaign spokesperson, who stated that 'bad faith attempts to influence elections should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' The group Median Strategies itself is shrouded in mystery, having only recently purchased its domain name and created a website, with its ownership registered privately.

Fake Polling by Median Strategies Raises Concerns About Election Survey Credibility

Fake Polling by Median Strategies Raises Concerns About Election Survey Credibility

Median Strategies, a previously unknown organization, admitted to fabricating at least three election polls across three U.S. states, including a Los Angeles mayoral race poll that was promoted by Mayor Karen Bass's campaign. The organization stated its purpose was a 'short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.' The fake polls claimed to evaluate support in the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial race in Nevada, and the mayoral race in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles poll, which falsely showed Mayor Bass leading, was shared on social media by her campaign and covered by a news outlet before its fabrication was revealed. Median Strategies has since shuttered its website, and the Bass campaign has deleted its social media post, defending itself by noting the poll's initial media coverage.

Polling Company Collapses After Fabricating LA Mayoral Race Data and Wisconsin Primary Results

Polling Company Collapses After Fabricating LA Mayoral Race Data and Wisconsin Primary Results

Median Strategies, a polling company, has ceased operations after admitting to publishing fabricated poll data, including a 'bogus' poll showing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with a nearly 12-point lead over Nithya Raman in the city's mayoral race. Mayor Bass had initially celebrated this poll on social media, a post which has since been deleted. The company also released an inaccurate poll for the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary, which indicated Francesca Hong had a 23-point lead in a race she ultimately lost. Median Strategies claimed its actions were a 'social experiment' designed to expose flaws within the polling industry. The company's website is no longer functional, and details regarding its operations, such as its base of operations or number of employees, remain scarce. This incident highlights significant issues concerning the reliability and verification of political polling data.

Polling Firm Shuts Down After Admitting Fake Survey Showing LA Mayor Karen Bass Leading Rival Was 'Social Experiment'

Polling Firm Shuts Down After Admitting Fake Survey Showing LA Mayor Karen Bass Leading Rival Was 'Social Experiment'

Median Strategies, a polling firm, has ceased operations after confessing that a survey it released, which purported to show Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with a significant lead over her election rival, Councilmember Nithya Raman, was fabricated. The company posted a notice on its website stating it had 'concluded its polling project' and that none of its surveys should be cited as 'genuine polling data.' According to the firm, Median Strategies was created as a 'short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.' The Los Angeles Times reported that Median Strategies admitted the poll was bogus after repeated inquiries. The fake survey, published last week, claimed Bass led Raman by nearly 12 percentage points. Mayor Bass's campaign account initially promoted the poll on social media, but the post was later deleted once the fabrication was revealed. The firm asserted that no one associ...

Fake Poll Impacts Los Angeles Mayoral Race, Raises Election Integrity Concerns

Fake Poll Impacts Los Angeles Mayoral Race, Raises Election Integrity Concerns

A fabricated poll released by Median Strategies falsely indicated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was leading councilmember Nithya Raman by approximately 12 percentage points in the mayoral race. The poll was initially shared by the Bass campaign on social media and reported by some news outlets, suggesting a surge in momentum for the incumbent. However, Median Strategies later admitted to the Los Angeles Times that the results were fake, claiming the poll was a 'social experiment' designed to observe how unverified polling information spreads within the political information ecosystem. The company, which was previously unknown and had only recently created its website, has since shut down its online presence and retracted all its purported polling data. This incident highlights the challenges in vetting polling data, especially when originating from obscure sources with undisclosed methodologies.

Los Angeles City Council Repeals Homeless Camping Bans in Key Districts

Los Angeles City Council Repeals Homeless Camping Bans in Key Districts

The Los Angeles City Council has voted to repeal homeless camping bans in a dozen locations across Hollywood, Echo Park, and Silver Lake. This decision was driven by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, who argued that these bans, enacted under Municipal Code Section 41.18, are ineffective in addressing homelessness. Soto-Martínez stated that displacing individuals from block to block or district to district hinders their ability to find housing, often leading to loss of belongings, fines, and arrests, which he believes makes it harder to provide assistance. The motion passed with a 10-3 vote during Tuesday's council meeting, marking what Soto-Martínez believes to be the first instance of an encampment ban being rescinded in the city. Councilmembers Imelda Padilla, Traci Park, and Monica Rodriguez dissented, with Padilla accusing Soto-Martínez of a double standard for seeking repeal in his district while opposing similar efforts elsewhere. Park emphasized the importance of anti-camping zones in maintaining ar...

Report Alleges Serious Health Risks for Boyle Heights Community Following Warehouse Fire

Report Alleges Serious Health Risks for Boyle Heights Community Following Warehouse Fire

A new report by St. John's Community Health and other organizations indicates that residents and workers near a Boyle Heights warehouse, which experienced a massive fire two months ago, face severe and worsening health risks. The fire at the Lineage Logistics facility burned for over a week, leaving an estimated 85 million pounds of rotting food. Residents have reported foul odors, and the report, released on Tuesday, claims that the decaying food and toxins have sickened many in surrounding neighborhoods. Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John's Community Health, stated that over 1,300 people were treated, with nearly 40% experiencing serious health problems, including acute upper respiratory infections, eye disorders, and asthma exacerbation. The report also highlights an increase in mental health issues such as anxiety and sleep disruption. While Lineage Logistics claims to have removed about 95% of the bulk food waste, community leaders are demanding the company accelerate cleanup and not rebuild in...

Mysterious Company Median Strategies Fabricates Election Polls, Raising Concerns About Unvetted Surveys

Mysterious Company Median Strategies Fabricates Election Polls, Raising Concerns About Unvetted Surveys

Median Strategies, a previously unknown organization, admitted to fabricating election poll results across three U.S. states. The company claimed these polls were part of a 'short-term social experiment' to examine how unverified polling information spreads within the political information ecosystem. The fake polls included a Los Angeles mayoral race survey, which incumbent Democrat Karen Bass's campaign shared on social media, and surveys for the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin and the gubernatorial race in Nevada. Median Strategies has since shuttered its website and withdrawn all previously published polling releases, stating they should not be treated as genuine data. The company offered no explanation for who was behind the 'experiment' or its purpose, and did not respond to inquiries from the Associated Press.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's Campaign Calls for Prosecution After Fake Poll Revealed as 'Social Experiment'

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's Campaign Calls for Prosecution After Fake Poll Revealed as 'Social Experiment'

A self-described polling group named Median Strategies published findings indicating that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held a nearly 12-point lead in her re-election bid. Mayor Bass subsequently promoted these poll results in a post on X, which has since been deleted. However, Median Strategies later revealed that the poll was fake, describing it as a 'short-term social experiment' designed to examine how unverified polling information spreads through the political information ecosystem. The group's website went dark after this admission. The poll had attributed Bass's lead to voters who had supported reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the June mayoral primary, claiming that 85.23% of them would now back Bass. Pratt, who was endorsed by President Trump, failed to advance to the general election.

Angie Nixon Secures Democratic Nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida, Defeating Alex Vindman

Angie Nixon Secures Democratic Nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida, Defeating Alex Vindman

Democratic socialist Angie Nixon has won the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida, according to media projections. Nixon secured 56.1% of the vote, surpassing her opponent, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who received 43.9% in Tuesday's primary. This victory positions Nixon to face Republican incumbent Ashley Moody in the November general election. Moody overwhelmingly won her party's primary with 79.6% of the vote and is anticipated to retain her seat. Democrats have not held a U.S. Senate seat in Florida since 2019. Nixon's win marks the first time a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate has won a Senate primary in 2026, with previous federal successes for the DSA being limited to House races. Vindman, a Kyiv-born Jewish refugee from the former Soviet Union, gained public recognition during the first Trump administration for his testimony regarding a controversial phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys

Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys

A mysterious political firm admitted to fabricating multiple election polls this month