LOS ANGELES — Two years ago, some of Los Angeles' political leaders took a public stand against the clout wielded by the city's police union, announcing they would reject any campaign donations that were offered by the group.
In the days after the killing of George Floyd, Councilman Mike Bonin — elected twice with the union's support — said he would disavow any additional outside spending made by the union on his behalf. Councilman David Ryu, then seeking reelection, returned one of the union's donations. Nithya Raman, who defeated Ryu, decried the union's influence throughout her campaign.
Those pronouncements have not kept the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents more than 9,000 rank-and-file officers, from making another major push at City Hall. With the election less than a week away, the union is financially involved in five of the city's 11 contests, committing more money than any other organization.
