Los Angeles magazine alleges a pattern of behavior in which Ali got close to these influential figures, became an integral part of their inner circle, and, in one case, moved into their home before overstaying his welcome. thedailybeast.com/twitter-supers…
Though he has insinuated that he’s the scion of a wealthy Iranian family, public records show that he’s encountered a slew of financial hardships. He’s been evicted from multiple residences, defaulted on several loans, and has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in tax liens.
How Ali acquired so many powerful supporters is a bit of a mystery. Even his closest allies are a bit fuzzy about how they met.
Many believed he had access to a vast family fortune, a perception that Ali seemed to encourage. “My parents have worked very hard,” he told an SF Gate reporter. “They’ve been very nice to their son.”
His job with Newsom brought him into frequent contact with the city’s wealthy and well-connected donors — none more impressive than Susie Tompkins Buell. The billionaire cofounder of apparel brands Esprit and The North Face is one of the Democratic Party’s top donors.
Even as Ali was dealing with all these personal travails, he was carefully constructing his own media brand, building an exalted perch in the tangled hierarchies of Twitter, and amassing an audience that included some of the most recognizable names in entertainment and media.
It’s widely acknowledged within political circles that Ali’s series of blog posts accusing Jacobs of sexual misconduct helped foil Garcetti’s chances of landing a cabinet position.
It’s probably not a coincidence that Ali has amassed his power and influence just as traditional journalism outlets have been suffering through a death spiral.
At a time when reporters are losing jobs over college tweets or even the appearances of conflict, Ali’s own history and tangled connections rarely receive much scrutiny.
The last paragraph... 
This
Embarrassing indeed...
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