Schmerelson gets thousands from police union after LAPD vote

This past June, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board made some groundbreaking changes to school policing after weeks of protests from parents, students and social justice activists who called for the reallocation of funds away from campus police to instead go to programs that support at-risk students and to launch a task force charged with reimagining student and campus safety.

The majority of the LAUSD Board Members stood with the public and voted to change a system that disproportionately targeted Black and Latinx students. District 3 Board Member Scott Schmerelson was not one of them. Recent campaign filings uncover possible pay-to-play questions.

Public records filed with the Los Angeles Ethics Committee show that shortly after his vote in support of the police unions, the LA School Police Management Association Political Action Committee (PAC) made a $4,500 contribution to Mr. Schmerelson’s legal defense fund. A contribution that could then be used to repay part of a $10,250 personal loan he provided himself via the fund.

The timeline of actions below outlines the legal debt he had from FPPC ethics investigations, his controversial vote, and the subsequent PAC contributions that Mr. Schmerelson should clarify to LAUSD families that entrust him to put kids first.

• Just before the March 2020 primary, FPPC complaints were filed against Mr. Schmerelson for failure to publicly and properly report stock holdings in tobacco companies on his Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700s).
• Also, before the primary election, Mr. Schmerelson created a legal defense fund committee.
• On May 12, 2020, he made a personal loan of $10,250 to his legal defense fund committee.

• In the period between the creation of the fund and the June FPPC reporting deadline, the Schmerelson legal defense fund committee paid $10,799.50 to Reed & Davidson for legal services. The firm specializes in campaign finance compliance.

• The only contributions/loans reported by the legal defense fund committee for the period ending June 30, 2020, include three contributions from individuals totaling $550 and the $10,250 personal loan from Mr. Schmerelson.
• In June 2020, Mr. Schmerelson voted against two proposals to reduce spending on the LAUSD police force and redirect that money to programs that would help students of color. On June 23, 2020, Schmerelson voted against a proposal to cut the LAUSD school police force budget by 90% by 2024. On June 30, 2020, the Los Angeles Times reported that Schmerelson voted against a 35% cut ($25 million) to the LAUSD school police force budget. This vote came despite widespread support of teachers, students and social justice activists.
• On July 14, 2020, the LA Daily News reported that Schmerelson agreed to settle the FPPC complaints against him by paying a $400 fine.
• On July 31, 2020, the LA School Police Management Association PAC contributed $4,500 to his legal defense fund committee. It has been the only contribution reported by this committee since May 12, 2020, when Mr. Schmerelson loaned the committee $10,250.

• As of October 17, 2020, the Schmerelson legal defense fund committee had cash on hand of $4,500.50 – all but $0.50 of which is from the LA School Police Management Association PAC contribution from July 31, 2020.
• The legal fund also owes Mr. Schmerelson $10,250 to repay the loan he made on May 12, 2020. The committee had not paid back any of that loan as of October 17, 2020.

Is Mr. Schmerelson waiting until after the November 3 election to use the $4,500 from the LA School Police Management Association PAC to help pay back the $10,250 loan? This would mean that the school police PAC money will likely go right into Mr. Schmerelson’s pocket.

Not only did the LA School Police Management Association PAC give him the $4,500 contribution for his legal fund, but the PAC gave the maximum contribution of $1,200 to Schmerelson’s reelection campaign. He also received an additional $1,200 from the California Coalition of School Safety Professionals PAC (sponsored by the Los Angeles School Police Association).

The California Coalition of School Safety Professionals PAC (sponsored by the Los Angeles School Police Association) is funded by police unions all over the state, and as of September 19, 2020 had only made one contribution to a candidate – Mr. Scott Schmerelson.

The worst part of this whole scenario is what Mr. Schmerelson’s vote means for the kids he is supposed to represent, especially at-risk students who need programs that provide them support to help them succeed.

We know that LAUSD must do better when it comes to equity in our schools. For us to provide a greater fairness and opportunity for all kids means that we have to challenge and reimagine our current systems. The redirection of funding by the board in June was an important step forward.

Pay-to-pay is a crime in California to punish public officials from cashing-in on their offices. Mr. Schmerelson’s actions raise serious questions about his allegiances and are possibly evidence of a pay-to-play scheme.

Mr. Schmerelson, you have a responsibility and an opportunity to clear the record.