Nithya Raman’s mayoral campaign is under scrutiny after an attack ad aimed at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appeared to use potentially unauthorized footage from a movie.
The commercial criticizes Bass over repeated delays to the LAX Automated People Mover. It includes a clip from the record-setting documentary “You Can See Everything” that does not appear in the production’s official trailer or widely shared teaser.
The ad cuts from Bass discussing the airport rail project to a scene in which Nathan Fielder questions Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes about whether her company’s device “can run any test” or is “capable” of running any test.
“The people mover is there, you can see it,” Bass says in the commercial, later clarifying, “No, I’m saying it’s in its testing phase.”
Raman’s campaign attributed the mayor’s remarks to KNX News, but it did not identify the source of the documentary footage or explain whether it had secured permission to use the clips.
The footage quickly sparked online discussion. Spencer Pratt, a former mayoral candidate and outspoken critic, questioned whether the campaign had used an unauthorized recording made inside a movie theater.
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“Wait a second… did the lady who wants to represent Hollywood… rip in-theater camcorder footage of a theatrical release film for a campaign ad?” Pratt posted on X. “WTF.”
Filming a movie directly from a theater screen without authorization may violate copyright law and could amount to theatrical movie piracy. Still, the available details do not show who captured the footage or whether Raman’s campaign received approval to include it in the ad.
The dispute comes as Bass faces continued criticism over the troubled LAX people mover. The 2.25-mile system was initially scheduled to open in 2023, but its launch has now been delayed until at least Feb. 5, 2027.
The project’s development cost has climbed to $3.34 billion, or approximately $1.49 billion for every mile.
Testing issues, conflicts among city agencies and ongoing lawsuits have all played a role in the latest postponement.
Pratt, who was eliminated in the primary election, is now criticizing the race from the sidelines as Bass and Raman head into Tuesday’s runoff.
The contest remains too close to call, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted with the Los Angeles Times and published Oct. 28.
The survey found both candidates with 40% support, while 19% of voters said they were undecided.
