Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass hosted a high-dollar New York fundraiser that included a very controversial East Coast counterpart \u2014 an event which left some guests with a bitter taste. <\/p>\n
Attendees at the Upper West Side reception held at Serafina told The California Post they \u201cwent home hungry\u201d despite shelling out four-figure sums for access to the Los Angeles mayor.<\/p>\n
Bass, 71, <\/a>held the Thursday night event in New York City as part of an East Coast swing aimed at boosting her re-election campaign more than 2,700 miles from home.<\/p>\n Bass charged guests $1,800 for a \u201cprivate greet.\u201d CA Post<\/p>\n Guests told The Post they left the event hungry after a smattering of selections. CA Post<\/p>\n The fundraiser, marketed as an exclusive reception, offered top-tier access priced at $1,800 for a one-on-one, while the cheapest cost $250.<\/p>\n All attendees were fed pizza, bruschetta and salad, according to photos from the event.<\/p>\n \u201cStart spreading the news \u2014 people have Mayor Bass\u2019 back coast to coast,\u201d said Alex Stack, a spokesperson for the Mayor.<\/p>\n Sources said turnout was thin, with a \u201csmall crowd\u201d and limited food \u2013 leaving some guests unimpressed after paying premium prices.<\/p>\n Among those spotted was former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, 64, as seen in photos and videos obtained by The Post.<\/p>\n De Blasio made a trip to Colombia<\/a> in January with his flashy gal pal and an alleged Chinese Community Party-linked lefty group<\/a>\u00a0to denounce American imperialism, as The Post reported.<\/p>\n Bass and de Blasio exchanged pleasantries, appearing friendly through most of the night.<\/p>\n The former NYC Mayor was all smiles on his way inside. James Keivom for NY Post<\/p>\n The low-key January trip saw Bill de Blasio attend the \u201cemergency\u201d Nuestra Am\u00e9rica conference, billed as a push to defend democracy and peace across the Americas after the controversial U.S. capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> that month.<\/p>\n The NYC fundraising event highlighted Bass\u2019s claims of reducing homicides and violent crime to historic lows and cutting street homelessness \u201ctwo years in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n But it also praised her for pushing back against Trump and ICE \u2014 less than 24 hours after she posed alongside the president at the White House.<\/p>\n \u201cThis afternoon we met with President Trump and Administration officials to advocate for families who lost everything,\u201d Bass said in a joint statement with Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Wednesday. <\/p>\n \u201cWe had a very positive discussion about FEMA and other rebuilding funds as well as the support of the President to continue joining us in pressuring the insurance companies to pay what they owe \u2014 and for the big banks to step up to ease the financial pressure on L.A. families. <\/p>\n \u201dOur job is to fight for our communities. When it comes to this recovery, our federal partners are essential, and we are grateful for the support of the President.\u201d<\/p>\n Bass\u2019 trip to NYC comes on the heels of a recent visit to see President Trump at The White House. Ringo Chiu<\/p>\n Behind the scenes, the talks focused on unlocking more federal disaster dollars through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, while also addressing the financial strain facing families hit by recent wildfires.<\/p>\n The latest poll from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs shows Bass holding a double-digit lead \u2014 but reality TV star Spencer Pratt has surged into second place<\/a>.<\/p>\n