An informal advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass provided communications support to her office without compensation while simultaneously holding a lucrative contract with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Yusef Robb, founder of tk/Communications, served as an unpaid spokesperson and advisor for Mayor Bass from February until early June. This period overlapped with his work on a three-year contract with LAWA, valued at nearly $600,000.
Robb stated that the LAWA contract was entirely separate from his pro bono advisory role for the mayor. He defended the airport contract, noting it resulted from a "transparent and public competitive bidding process" and involves providing "communications support and training." A spokesperson for the Bass administration echoed this sentiment, asserting that Robb's unpaid assistance was "for the benefit of the city. It's not a gift."
The contract with LAWA, the entity overseeing Los Angeles International Airport and Van Nuys Airport, was signed in 2024 for $450,000 over three years. It was later amended in April to include additional services worth $137,500. Robb's firm secured this contract, which focuses on "executive media training" and "crisis communications," competing against ten other firms. According to Robb, his firm will earn no more than $315,000 over the contract's duration due to subcontracting arrangements.
This is not Robb's first contract with the city under the Bass administration. His firm previously received $75,000 in 2022 and 2023 for communications services related to the administration's establishment. Robb's extensive experience includes prior roles as a press aide in Mayor Jim Hahn's administration and working for Eric Garcetti during his time as a city council member and mayor.
Legal experts have raised concerns regarding the arrangement. Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School and former president of the city's Ethics Commission, suggested that Robb's free work for the mayor, given the value of his services demonstrated by the airport contract, could potentially be interpreted as an unreported gift. Levinson also highlighted the potential for conflicts of interest when an individual provides services to a public official while also holding contracts with the city and pursuing private clients, citing concerns about "undue influence, preferential access and backroom deals." Despite these concerns, Levinson indicated that, in her assessment, Mayor Bass has not violated any laws through this arrangement, describing it as an "unusual setup" rather than an illegal one.
