LOS ANGELES — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton brought her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination to Los Angeles May 5, attending fundraisers and courting black and Latino voters by vowing to raise the national minimum wage and create jobs.
Clinton met with local black leaders during a stop at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park, where she touted her lead over her competitor, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“I am 3 million-plus votes ahead of Senator Sanders, right?” Clinton told the crowd. “I am nearly 300 pledged delegates ahead of Senator Sanders.”
Among those in the crowd at the event were Reps. Maxine Waters and Karen Bass, both D-Los Angeles, and Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson.
Later in the day, she attended a boisterous rally at East Los Angeles College, where she again derided presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump as a “loose cannon” and a “risk we cannot afford.”
“Now as president, creating good jobs and raising income will be my number-one priority,” she said. “And we will follow the lead of California and raise the minimum wage.”
Clinton also vowed to guarantee equal pay for women.
“And we’re also going to follow California’s lead and make sure we have paid family leave for working families,” she said. “I will do everything I can to make the economy work for everybody, to help more people lift themselves out of poverty, lift themselves into the middle class and go as far as their hard work and talents will take them.”
At least two other presidential candidates have spoken at East Los Angeles College and gone on to be elected — John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Clinton’s husband, Bill, in 1992, according to Maria Iacobo of the Los Angeles Community College District.
Members of Union del Barrio, MEXA of East Los Angeles College, LA Brown Berets and several other student and community-based organizations held a march through Monterey Park to East Los Angeles College to protest what organizers called Clinton’s attacks on working-class communities of color and her 2002 vote as a senator in favor of the resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.
“This event is to let Hillary know that she is not welcomed in Los Angeles and to raise community awareness of what she really represents. We will let the community know that either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton would make terrible presidents,” said organizer Ron Gochez.
“This action is strictly to protest against Hillary Clinton and not in support of any party and/or candidates.”
There was no response to an email sent to the Clinton campaign seeking comment.
Ninio Fetalvo, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said Clinton is faltering in her effort to win over Latino voters.
“Hillary Clinton is scrambling to win a nomination she should have locked down months ago,” he said. “Worse, the more Bernie Sanders campaigns in California, the more it looks like he will once again turn Clinton’s false Latino firewall claim on its head.”
The trip is the 68-year-old Clinton’s 11th to the Los Angeles area since declaring her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on April 12, 2015.
Clinton has held 24 fundraisers during her previous visits, including a $33,400 per person event at the Studio City home of actor George Clooney during her last visit, when supporters of Sanders, threw dollar bills at her motorcade.
Clinton also attended a series of fundraisers, including one at the home of City Councilman Jose Huizar, who called himself a long-time Clinton supporter.
“Hillary Clinton is by far the most qualified candidate for U.S. president who brings with her a wealth of experience, toughness, tenacity and compassion,” he said.
Tickets for the event were $2,700, the maximum individual contribution under federal law to a candidate seeking a party’s presidential nomination, according to Political Party Time, a website that tracks political fundraisers.
Individuals who have raised $10,000 were designated as co-hosts and were able to have their pictures taken with Clinton. Those raising $27,000 were designated as event hosts and received an invitation to a host reception with Clinton and membership in the Hillary for America Finance Committee.
Clinton was also scheduled to attend a second downtown fundraiser, with tickets also priced at $2,700, with couples donating $5,400 for Clinton’s primary campaign getting a photo with her. Individuals raising $27,000 were designated as event co-hosts and received an invitation to a host reception with Clinton and received membership in the Hillary for America Finance Committee.
Clinton’s Southland swing came amid news that several of her aides have been interviewed by the FBI as part of an investigation into whether classified information was mishandled by Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state. Clinton has denied any wrongdoing and said she would cooperate with federal investigators.
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