Essential Politics: Photos with Hillary Clinton have price tag

Welcome to Essential Politics, a new newsletter from the Los Angeles Times. I’m Christina Bellantoni, assistant managing editor for politics and your host today.

Californians are about to get some face time with Hillary Clinton — some rich ones, at least.

The former secretary of state is slated to be in Los Angeles this weekend for a series of fundraisers before heading up to the Bay Area.

Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook was in the state this week to let any uneasy donors know that the political professionals back at campaign headquarters in Brooklyn have it all under control, writes Evan Halper, describing Mook’s visit as “high stakes behind-the-scenes work."

Donors who were invited to join the conversation told Halper that Mook was visiting homes of Esprit clothing founder Susie Tompkins Buell in San Francisco and businesswoman Amy Rao, a prodigious fundraiser. The goal: to reassure, re-energize and recommit some key players in the Clinton West Coast money machine after a less-than-stellar summer and ahead of the Oct. 13 Democratic primary debate.

Last month I reported on two of the Democrat’s fundraisers planned for this month.

We’ve got some new details on those Clinton events kicking off on Sunday afternoon. Billed as chances for a “photo with HRC," and the last chance to see her “before the first big Dem debate," there are three events that allow for photos with the candidate for $2,700 per person.

“Space is limited but there are more tiers and more opportunities for folks to support the campaign and participate, so please share with your friends, family and colleagues," Clinton National Finance Committee member Michael Gilmore wrote in an email obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

She will appear at the homes of Rob and Shari Friedman and Noshaba and Dr. Asif Mahmood, as well as at the swanky Perch Rooftop in downtown Los Angeles. Another email from National Finance Committee members Sim and Debra Farar and obtained by The Times warned, “SPACE IS LIMITED and we expect this event to reach capacity QUICKLY."

If you talked with Mook, or if you plan to attend the upcoming fundraisers, we’d sure love to hear from you. Don’t be a stranger.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

-- Meet the Californians who scored entry to watch Pope Francis declare Junipero Serra a saint, and here is a look at why the canonization of Serra is happening in Washington, not California.

-- And don’t miss our robust coverage of his historic visit.

-- “I'm not going to let them tear up that law, kick 16 million people off their health coverage and force this country to start the healthcare debate all over again," Clinton said in Baton Rouge ahead of releasing her plans to expand Obamacare.

-- She also is opposing the Keystone Pipeline.

-- Southern California residents may have to pay taxes on rebates they received for replacing lawn with turf, Matt Stevens and Taylor Goldenstein report.

-- Los Angeles leaders say they would declare a state of emergency over homelessness and commit $100 million to try to solve it.

-- Cool idea alert. The San Francisco Chronicle is livestreaming its interview with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

LOGISTICS

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