Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, a candidate for mayor, faced online ridicule after posting about a recently completed crosswalk project in her district. Critics pointed to the surrounding pavement, which remained visibly cracked and damaged, leading to accusations of superficial improvements.
Raman, who represents Los Angeles’ 4th Council District, which includes Los Feliz, shared before-and-after photos of the intersection at Sunset Drive and Bates Street on Wednesday. She stated that her office and the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had identified the need for the crosswalk in late 2025 and that its completion made the streets safer. She also thanked her field team for their work on the project.
However, the post quickly drew criticism, with many users on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) pointing out the contrast between the fresh paint and the deteriorated road surface. One user commented, "So they put lipstick on a pig?" while another made a pun, saying, "Say no to crack."
Reality TV personality and former LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt was among those who criticized Raman's post, questioning the time it took to paint the crosswalk over damaged pavement. Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin also expressed skepticism, stating he initially believed the post to be fake and described Raman as a "socialist candidate" taking a "victory lap" for the work.
Raman has made street safety and transportation improvements a central theme of her tenure on the City Council. She is currently running for mayor, having finished second to incumbent Karen Bass in the June primary. Pratt had finished third in that primary.