Arnold Schwarzenegger hosts private meeting with Nithya Raman and LA bigwigs

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s last Republican governor, opened his inner circle to Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist running to lead Los Angeles.Schwarzenegger, 79, hosted Raman at his Santa Monica office last week, introducing the mayoral challenger to a packed room of Hollywood, business and civic leaders, the California Post confirmed.The meeting lasted for more than an hour, a source told The Post, and Schwarzenegger’s closest pals pressed Raman on everything from policing and the “mansion tax” to unions and asked why she calls herself a democratic socialist.The room included Schwarzenegger’s agent, Jim Berkus, other United Talent Agency representatives, executives in investment and clean technology, and leaders of organizations tied to the former governor, according to TMZ, who first reported the meeting.Daniel Ketchell, Schwarzenegger’s chief of staff, told TMZ that the former governor, who served from 2003 to 2011, regularly brings business, Hollywood and policy leaders together to discuss major problems and typically stays out of political races.Schwarzenegger has not endorsed Raman, but his decision to host her at the event gave the candidate access to people who might otherwise dismiss her politics.In fact, Schwarzenegger rarely endorses candidates, criticizing both sides of the aisle when he does speak out on issues.During the meeting, a major developer asked Raman about Measure ULA, the tax on property sales over $5 million that the real estate industry has criticized, a source told The Post.

Meeting attendees who work on the power grid asked Raman about energy and unions while others asked whether she is anti-police.Raman told the group she is not anti-police and talked about making city government work more efficiently, the source said. Some attendees arrived skeptical and left impressed by Raman’s answers, The Post learned. Other guests included an executive from Main Street Advisors, an investment firm with ties to celebriti...