Spending Limit Lifted in L.A. Council Race

The spending limit was lifted in the race for the 4th District seat on the Los Angeles City Council after candidate Beth Garfield notified the Ethics Commission that she has spent more than $275,000 on campaign expenses.

As a result, her opponent, Tom LaBonge, is free to spend more than $275,000 and still receive city matching funds.

Garfield, who has lent her campaign for the Oct. 23 runoff election $350,000, had not accepted city matching funds and the voluntary spending limit.

In the meantime, LaBonge filed a complaint Monday with the League of Women Voters Campaign Watch Commission charging that a Garfield television commercial is not truthful about LaBonge and the tobacco industry.

The ad showed actors portraying LaBonge and another person exchanging money behind closed doors as a narrator says, “Talk about shady deals--the last time Tom LaBonge ran for council, he took money from big tobacco companies at the last minute so most voters wouldn’t know before the election.”

The commercial says LaBonge received campaign contributions from “big tobacco” just before a council vote on a smoking ban in restaurants.

A spokeswoman for LaBonge said the ad does not make clear that the contributions were made in 1993, that LaBonge was not on the council at the time and that he had publicly supported tough smoking restrictions.

In his complaint, LaBonge said the ad falsely implies that there was a contribution in return for political favors.

Bryan Blum, a spokesman for Garfield, said the campaign stands behind the commercial as accurate. “It’s a character issue about the way he does business,” Blum said.

The Campaign Watch Commission has issued warnings in other races when it felt campaign mailers or commercials were not truthful.

Meanwhile, the Ethics Commission said Monday that the County Federation of Labor reported spending $40,000 on mail to members supporting Garfield, while a local firefighters union reported spending $5,000 on mail targeting voters for LaBonge.

The runoff will decide who fills the seat held by Councilman John Ferraro for 35 years until his death in April.