had given more than $476,000 to L.A. city officials over the past five years; during this time Los Angeles City Hall approved numerous building projects. Caruso's company was accused of suppressing free speech over the rejection of an advertisement for a documentary about the Armenian Genocide at the Americana at Brand in 2015 and in 2017. Americana later reversed its advert decision. Public service In 1985, at the age of 26, Caruso was named by Mayor Tom Bradley to serve as a commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, becoming the youngest commissioner in the history of the city. In August 2001, Caruso was appointed by Mayor James K. Hahn to the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners and was elected its president. In this role, he led the selection process that resulted in the hiring of former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton as the Los Angeles Chief of Police. In 2008, Caruso was elected to serve as a member of the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission, which oversees the operations of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and nearby Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. During his tenure on the commission, Caruso advocated for its reform, including the resignation of its general manager, and the replacement of the commission itself with a new governing body. He advocated a ban on rave parties at the two venues. 2022 Los Angeles mayoral race Caruso floated the idea of running for mayor of Los Angeles for the 2009 and 2013 elections, though he ultimately did not run. In 2019, he expressed interest in running in the 2022 election. He announced his candidacy on February 11, 2022, the day before the filing deadline. Caruso spent more than $41 million on his primary campaign, including $39 million of his own money on digital, radio, and television advertising. Caruso finished second in the June election to Karen Bass, and faced her in a runoff election on November 8, which Bass won. Philanthropy Caruso Family Foundation Caruso founded the Caruso Family Foundation, which focuses on organizations that improve the lives of children in need of healthcare and education. In addition to USC and Pepperdine, Caruso has made significant donations to Los Angeles academic institutions including Loyola High School and Brentwood School, which 3 of his children attended. Law schools Caruso and his wife, Tina, established the Caruso Loan Forgiveness Fund which covers the law