BREAKING: Skid Row Homeless Claimed Being Paid by…(See more

A series of videos recorded on Los Angeles’ Skid Row has sparked renewed scrutiny over local election practices, with several homeless individuals appearing on camera to claim they received small cash payments in exchange for voting for Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. The videos, reportedly recorded near 7th Street and Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles, were first posted on the TikTok account LaneNeedsSpencerPratt and later obtained by The California Post, which has previously reported on voter registration issues involving homeless populations in the city. According to the publication, the footage ha

s also been provided to the U.S. Department of Justice. In the recordings, several individuals describe receiving amounts ranging from approximately two to five dollars after being instructed to vote for specific candidates. 

One man identified himself as Kevin Shepherd and claimed he received four dollars to vote for Bass. A woman identified as Rene Johnson said she received five dollars and expressed concern that some homeless residents may be vulnerable to exploitation. Another woman, who declined to give her name, similarly alleged she was paid and told to vote for Bass. The person behind the TikTok account said he visited the area after receiving reports of apparent political organizing activity in the neighborhood before the election.

Some residents interviewed described the activity as a recurring occurrence. These allegations come amid broader concerns that have been raised about voter registration practices involving homeless individuals in Los Angeles. The California Post has previously reported that large numbers of voters were registered at certain shelters, including one Venice shelter associated with public funding connected to Raman’s council office. Separately, a federal criminal case involving Skid Row has already been filed.

Federal Case and Broader Concerns

Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, of Marina del Rey, has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of paying a person to register to vote. According to court records, Armstrong allegedly offered homeless residents small amounts of cash or items such as cigarettes or phone cords in exchange for signatures on ballot initiative petitions and, in some cases, registered individuals using her former home address. That case is a matter of public court record.

However, the newly circulated videos themselves have not been independently verified by major news organizations, and as of the time described in the article, no law enforcement agency or election authority had publicly confirmed a formal investigation specifically related to the footage. The identities of several individuals appearing in the videos have also not been independently established. Federal law prohibits paying or offering payment in exchange for voting or registering to vote, regardless of the amount involved.

If substantiated, such conduct could constitute a federal offense. At present, the allegations in the videos remain unproven, and there has been no public finding linking Mayor Karen Bass, Councilwoman Nithya Raman, or their campaigns to the alleged activities described by the individuals interviewed. Any determination of wrongdoing would depend on evidence gathered through an official investigation.