L.A. Mayor Race: Hollywood Poised to Raise a Half Million Dollars for Wendy Greuel Before March 5 Primary

Democratic uber-donor Haim Saban and Sen. Barbara Boxer will headline a Feb 20th fundraiser for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel's mayoral effort, which also picked up $150,000 in Super PAC contributions from Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.

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L.A. Mayor Race Divides Hollywood

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The Saban fundraiser, which is expected to raise $200,000 at the media mogul's palatial Beverly Hills compound, also lists among its sponsors and hosts political strategist Noah Mamet and long-time Hollywood political activists Carol Biondi, Patricia Glaser and Peg Yorkin. Suggested contributions range from $10,000 to just $250. A second industry fundraiser is scheduled for Feb. 25 at UTA board member Jay Sures' Brentwood home. 

Meanwhile, reports to the City Ethics Commission show that a fundraising letter on behalf of an independent expenditure committee sent by Democratic political consultant Andy Spahn -- and first reported in THR -- has helped Greuel's fundraising effort surge past the race’s other front-runner, City Councilman Eric Garcetti. The DreamWorks troika’s contributions went to that committee, along with major donations from an array of other entertainment-industry figures.

STORY: L.A. Mayor Race: Katzenberg, Spielberg Rep Solicits $15,000 Contributions for Wendy Greuel Super PAC

Jim Gianopulos is the next biggest donor, with $15,000, while producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy have given $12,500 to the local super PAC, whose major contributors up to now have been unions. Golden Girls writer Susan Harris, and Dead Poets Society producer Paul Junger Witt. The Amalgamated Transit Union’s PAC also gave the committee $10,000.

The combined effort, which also includes an industry fundraiser held at the SoHo House on Monday, is expected to net a half million dollars for Greuel's campaign before the March 5 mayoral primary.