Raman Ad Uses Unclear Movie Footage
A campaign attack ad features clips from a documentary that may not have been cleared for use, sparking copyright questions.
By Rebecca Kaminski ·
Nithya Raman's campaign for Los Angeles mayor is under scrutiny after using video from the documentary "You Can See Everything" in an attack ad against Mayor Karen Bass. The footage in the spot does not appear in the film's official trailer or viral teaser, raising questions about how the clips were obtained and whether they were licensed for political use.
The advertisement targets the delayed LAX Automated People Mover. It splices clips of Bass discussing the project with a scene from the documentary where Nathan Fielder questions Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. In the ad, Bass states, "The people mover is there you can see it," before adding, "No, I'm saying it's in its testing phase." Raman's team credited KNX News for the interview segments but provided no explanation for the source of the movie clips.
The usage drew online criticism from former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt. He questioned on X if the team used unauthorized theater recordings. "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 wrote. "WTF." Recording a theatrical release off a screen without permission can violate copyright law and constitute piracy, though current details do not confirm who recorded the clips or if permission was granted.
The controversy coincides with continued scrutiny of the LAX project. The 2.25-mile people mover was originally scheduled to open in 2023 but has been delayed until at least February 5, 2027. The project carries a development cost of $3.34 billion, equating to roughly $1.49 billion per mile. Technical issues during testing, disputes between city agencies, and ongoing legal battles have contributed to the timeline shifts.
The mayoral race remains close. A poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and released on October 28, shows a deadlock. Both candidates registered 40% support, while 19% of respondents remained undecided.
Source: New York Post
