{"id":2566236,"date":"2026-02-06T17:18:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T22:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists-24\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T17:22:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T22:22:27","slug":"democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists-24\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats Hate A Bunch Of Democrats, And It&#8217;s Hilarious"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists-24%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2566236&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article analyzes tensions inside California\u2019s democratic politics, using Los Angeles\u2019 2026 city controller race and clashes with Governor Gavin Newsom-era politics as focal points.it centers on Kenneth Mejia, the city\u2019s elected Controller, who has exposed notable waste and fraud in homeless services programs and is pushing too fund more investigators to continue digging. Mejia, a left-leaning former CPA who has at times aligned with the Green Party, positions himself as a reformer who calls out fraud and mismanagement even when that puts him at odds with the party\u2019s insider network.<\/p>\n<p>Mejia\u2019s two opponents illustrate the establishment\u2019s side of the battle: Isadore Hall, backed by prominent figures such as California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-donors-back-efforts-to-recall-calif-gov-newsom\/\" title=\"Trump donors back efforts to recall Calif. Gov. Newsom\">real estate developer<\/a> Zach Sokoloff, who has drawn substantial real estate money and endorsements from major figures like Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. The Los Angeles times has framed the race as a contest between the city\u2019s establishment and the ascendant left.mejia contends that money from real estate and billionaire donors is trying to tilt the race in favor of the establishment, and he highlights the contrast between his penetration of waste and fraud and the party\u2019s reluctance to publicly challenge fraud within its ranks.<\/p>\n<p>The piece also touches broader California politics, including fallout between Governor Newsom and San Jose Mayor matt Mahan\u2014who has criticized Newsom\u2019s focus and invited attention to perceived inaction on crime and homelessness. throughout, the author notes a culture within the Democratic Party described as brittle or intolerant of dissent, suggesting that the left\u2019s insurgent stance challenges the party\u2019s traditional machine politics. The article is written by Chris bray, who notes his background and position on Substack.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CcfggLuNAIk\">  California Governor Gavin Newsom \/ YouTube<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Democrats%20Hate%20Anyone%20Who%20Doesn%E2%80%99t%20Love%20Crime%20And%20Fraud%20As%20Much%20As%20They%20Do%20%E2%80%94%20Even%20Leftists&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Democrats%20Hate%20Anyone%20Who%20Doesn%E2%80%99t%20Love%20Crime%20And%20Fraud%20As%20Much%20As%20They%20Do%20%E2%80%94%20Even%20Leftists&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Democrats%20Hate%20Anyone%20Who%20Doesn%E2%80%99t%20Love%20Crime%20And%20Fraud%20As%20Much%20As%20They%20Do%20%E2%80%94%20Even%20Leftists&amp;body=The%20first%20rule%20of%20Democrat%20Club%20is%20that%20you%20aren't%20supposed%20to%20mention%20the%20fraud%20and%20the%20grift.%20%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Democrats hate certain other Democrats and leftists about as much as they hate you, and their targets are <em>quite<\/em> revealing.<\/p>\n<p>In Los Angeles, elected City Controller Kenneth Mejia has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists\/\" title=\"... A Bunch Of Democrats, And It&#039;s Hilarious\">unearthed significant social services fraud<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/krcrtv.com\/news\/nation-world\/los-angeles-wasted-218-million-on-unused-beds-for-homeless-audit-finds-california-waste-audited-los-angeles-city-controller-kenneth-mejia-doge-government-efficiency-gavin-newsom?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">waste<\/a> and is <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lacontroller\/status\/1917422676047782261\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pushing to fund more investigators<\/a> &mdash; <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/WallStreetApes\/status\/2015097260783071420\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">without success<\/a> &mdash; so he can dig deeper. Mejia is <em>way<\/em> left, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LkvlyOmeTA4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high-octane Bernie bro<\/a> who ostensibly &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kennethmejiaLA\/status\/1986635447414698335\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">left<\/a>&rdquo; the Democrat Party in 2024. He has at times identified with the Green Party, apparently because the Democrats were much <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gp.org\/mejia_on_going_green\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">too far to the right<\/a> for him. But Mejia is also a certified public accountant and a true believer in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >leftist social intervention<\/a>, and he takes it personally when people steal from government programs that are supposed to help the poor. Mejia&rsquo;s investigators are the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/WallStreetApes\/status\/2015097260783071420\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reason<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ca-case-shows-how-blue-states-refuse-to-vet-fraudsters\/\" title=\"CA Case Shows How Blue States Refuse To Vet ...sters\">homeless services contractor<\/a> in Los Angeles is awaiting trial on a massive list of <a href=\"https:\/\/da.lacounty.gov\/media\/news\/los-angeles-county-district-attorney-s-office-charges-ceo-nonprofit-abundant-blessings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">state<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">federal<\/a> felony charges for fraud.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-716546372\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mejia revealed earlier this week that real estate and private equity &ldquo;executives&rdquo; as well as multiple &ldquo;billionaires&rdquo; are &ldquo;pouring money&rdquo; into the 2026 controller&rsquo;s race to &ldquo;oust&rdquo; him amid his <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kennethmejiaLA\/status\/1963803065057952137\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reelection<\/a> bid.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"dnhMs8yjZ0rYE2vz\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You literally can&rsquo;t make this up<\/p>\n<p>Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia is who just uncovered that $27 million dollar NGO homeless fraud that led to an arrest<\/p>\n<p>Now, &lsquo;executives from the real estate and private equity industry, and at least 10 billionaires are pouring money&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PCzAOmbfkg\">pic.twitter.com\/PCzAOmbfkg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WallStreetApes\/status\/2018723371866075478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 3, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Mejia&rsquo;s two opponents are endorsed by a who&rsquo;s-who of establishment democrats. Former state legislator Isadore Hall is, kind of bizarrely, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.isadorehall.com\/endorsements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">endorsed by (among others)<\/a> California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, probably the <a href=\"https:\/\/ktla.com\/news\/california\/california-official-accused-of-high-end-travel-using-taxpayer-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most controversial<\/a> figure in state politics at the moment. The Los Angeles Times characterized a race between these two candidates <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/fH3Uf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">like this<\/a>: &ldquo;Hall and Mejia represent vastly different flanks of the Democratic Party, and the coming race will almost certainly pit L.A. establishment politics against the city&rsquo;s ascendant left.&rdquo; (Mejia is the ascendant left. He <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kennethmejiaLA\/status\/1986635447414698335\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> in November last year he would &ldquo;not be seeking the endorsement from politicians.&rdquo;)<\/p>\n<p>His other opponent, Zach Sokoloff, is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/newsletter\/2025-11-29\/la-on-the-record-from-hollywood-to-city-hall\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">real estate developer<\/a> who got a bunch of the <em>other<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.culvercityobserver.com\/story\/2026\/02\/05\/news\/sokoloff-surpasses-500k-cash-on-hand-for-la-city-controller-race\/15733.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">establishment endorsements<\/a>, like the powerful Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. Campaign finance <a href=\"https:\/\/ethics.lacity.gov\/data\/campaigns\/contributions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> filed with the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission also show that Sokoloff is the one soaking up the real estate cash that Mejia refers to in his video. So Mejia, the &ldquo;ascendant left,&rdquo; faces a sharp challenge from the establishment.<\/p>\n<p>As we&rsquo;re seeing in Minneapolis, the first rule of Democrat Club is that <em>you aren&rsquo;t supposed to mention the fraud and the grift<\/em>. Kenneth Mejia is ideologically aligned with the way-left Los Angeles political machine, but he also isn&rsquo;t a member of that insider club. He calls out waste and fraud, which is very unorthodox and impolite.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom keeps pretending that San Jose doesn&rsquo;t have a mayor. But that mayor (Matt Mahan) does provably exist, having been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jF5qRmI1MwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spotted in his natural habitat<\/a>, and does the unforgivable: He describes Gavin Newsom as a do-nothing prima donna. In an <a href=\"https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/opinion\/2025\/08\/30\/matt-mahan-gavin-newsom-trump-social\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">op-ed essay<\/a> that got a lot of attention in the state, Mahan discussed the preening Newsom&rsquo;s persistent neglect of real problems like crime and rampant homelessness. The headline of that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-hate-anyone-who-doesnt-love-crime-and-fraud-as-much-as-they-do-even-leftists-2\/\" title=\"... A Bunch Of Democrats, And It&#039;s Hilarious\">op-ed piece tells<\/a> the story: &ldquo;How about less time breaking the internet and more time fixing California?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Those kinds of criticisms make a California Democrat an immediate unperson. Mahan has announced his plans to run for governor, and Newsom &hellip; can&rsquo;t quite place the name. Mahan, Mahan, uh &mdash; give me a reminder?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"Q6O4auZK7IcUmWoSqGRYzg3rt8C9TdnJ1X2pMxVeb0H\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Gavin Newsom pretending &ldquo;not to know enough&rdquo; about the mayor of the 3rd largest city in the state tells you everything you need to know about Matt Mahan running for governor  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1YvuERr7XB\">pic.twitter.com\/1YvuERr7XB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheKevinDalton\/status\/2017002759317573639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 29, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The bad blood started building even before that, as <a href=\"https:\/\/abc7news.com\/post\/governor-gavin-newsom-san-jose-sign-bills-aimed-fighting-california-retail-theft\/15192980\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Newsom traveled to San Jose<\/a> in 2024 to sign legislation that Mahan had supported, but <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/vyx7i\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">didn&rsquo;t invite<\/a> the mayor to the otherwise well-attended ceremony. People noticed, and were meant to. Mahan is mostly a fairly conventional Democrat, but he <em>says things<\/em>, and you&rsquo;re not supposed to say things. You&rsquo;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9WW8nf5Llp4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supposed to be on the team<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you&rsquo;ve argued with Democrats, you think that they&rsquo;re brittle and instantly hostile in the face of the slightest disagreement, preferring to enforce rigid groupthink. But don&rsquo;t worry: Some Democrats and others on the left have the same experience. They line up in the chute, or the dog barks at them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"0TZARUDY4rr75C37glIEGkm9IncoOnShUtXd2KWiaPzxBc8ajzbF3J6QwVlVwt1MCWiduLk20Pq56ROhLeN1sgjmKoMFQpYZHvx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Parkour Sheep Dog Extreme Herding\" width=\"422\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/p5Ncj2d2RMo?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Chris Bray is a former infantry sergeant in the U.S. Army, and has a history PhD from the University of California Los Angeles, not that it did him any good. He also posts on Substack, at &#8220;Tell Me How This Ends,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/\">here<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Chris Bray<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/chrisbray\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/california\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">California<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/californication\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Californication<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/corruption\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Corruption<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/fraud\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Fraud<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Gavin Newsom<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/kenneth-mejia\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Kenneth Mejia<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/los-angeles\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Los Angeles<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/machine-politics\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">machine politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/matt-mahan\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Matt Mahan<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/political-debate\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">political debate<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/san-jose\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">San Jose<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats often despise some of their own and left-leaning allies almost as much as they disdain outsiders, and who they target says a lot about their politics. In Los Angeles, City Controller Kenneth Mejia has uncovered sizeable fraud and waste in social services and is pushing to fund more investigators so he can probe further, though he hasn\u2019t received that funding yet. Mejia is very far left\u2014a Bernie-style progressive who at times aligned with the Green Party because he felt Democrats were too centrist. Yet, as a certified public accountant who believes in aggressive social programs, he takes it personally when people steal from aid programs for the poor. His investigators helped bring the arrest of a homeless-services contractor on a long list of state and federal fraud charges.<\/p>\n<p>Mejia has said that real estate and private-equity executives, along with several billionaires, are pouring money into the 2026 race for LA City Controller to try to unseat him. His two opponents are backed by a who\u2019s-who of establishment Democrats. Isadore Hall, a former state legislator, is endorsed by figures including California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and the Los Angeles Times described the race as a clash between the city\u2019s establishment and Mejia\u2019s rising left. Mejia had said last November that he would not seek endorsements from politicians. His other challenger, Zach Sokoloff, is a real estate developer who has drawn substantial establishment support, including from Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas; campaign filings show Sokoloff drawing significant real-estate money that Mejia mentions in his criticism. So Mejia\u2014the ascendant left\u2014faces a stern challenge from the establishment.<\/p>\n<p>The piece also notes a broader pattern: within the Democratic Club, bringing up fraud and graft is frowned upon, and Mejia\u2019s willingness to call out waste is unconventional and somewhat brusque. Separately, California Governor Gavin Newsom keeps acting as if San Jose\u2019s mayor doesn\u2019t exist, even as Mayor Matt Mahan exists and criticizes Newsom for neglecting crime and homelessness. Mahan recently wrote an op-ed with a headline about doing less \u201cbreaking the internet\u201d and more about fixing California, a jab at Newsom. The exchange underscores tensions within California Democrats: some dissent is tolerated, but openly challenging the leadership can be met with sting. Mahan is planning a run for governor, while Newsom seems unsure how to respond to him. The dynamic reflects the frictions of California Democratic politics, where even compatible factions struggle with accountability and emphasis on real problems.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Bray, a former Army infantry sergeant with a PhD from UCLA, writes on Substack at \u201cTell Me How This Ends.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2086,"featured_media":2566237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-5.11.17-PM-1024x568.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651],"tags":[3685,50380,72747,5894,32870],"class_list":["post-2566236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-humor-2","tag-intra-party-conflict","tag-politics","tag-satire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-03-at-5.11.17-PM-1024x568.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2566236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2086"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2566236"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2566236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2566241,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2566236\/revisions\/2566241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2566237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2566236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2566236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2566236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}