Candidate's mother bankrolls campaign to oust City Controller Kenneth Mejia

Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia faces Zach Sokoloff in the Tuesday primary. Sokoloff is a real estate investment executive who contributed $1 million of his own money and raised $500,000 in contributions. His mother, Sheryl Sokoloff, funded $7.5 million in independent expenditures through an independent expenditure committee, largely spent on TV ads and mailers attacking Mejia. Mejia reported raising $143,000, supplemented by nearly $500,000 from the city’s matching funds program. Mejia said the Sokoloff family was trying to buy the elected position. Sokoloff responded that family support in elections is not new. A person identifying as Sheryl Sokoloff declined comment when contacted.

"Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia faces a lone challenger for reelection in Tuesday's primary - but that challenger has raised $1 million in contributions, and is also being helped by $7.5 million in so-called independent expenditures bankrolled by his mother. Zach Sokoloff is a senior vice president for asset management at Hackman Capital Partners, a real estate investment firm. He contributed $1 million of his own cash to his campaign, in addition to $500,000 raised in contributions, campaign finance data show."

"His mother, Sheryl Sokoloff, contributed $7.5 million in independent expenditures to the race, campaign finance reports show. That money has largely been spent on TV ads and mailers attacking Mejia. Sheryl Sokoloff is the spouse of Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners. Mejia has reported raising $143,000 for his reelection campaign, according to his latest campaign finance statement, which has been supplemented by nearly $500,000 from the city's matching funds program."

"Mejia asserted that the Sokoloff family was trying to buy the elected position for their son. "This is a prime example of why people are so fed up with politics," Mejia said. "So much money gets dropped in and they're just trying to buy a seat and I think that's absolutely wrong." Sokoloff pushed back, saying that familial support in elections isn't a new phenomenon. A woman who identified herself as Sheryl Sokoloff hung up the phone when The Times called for comment on the campaign expenditures."

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