Karen Bass’ mysterious long-distance boyfriend unmasked as transit bigwig

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has a longtime partner who lives on the East Coast and has largely stayed out of the political spotlight.

Melvin E. Clark Jr., 75, a former tax attorney who built a career in transportation contracting, has been in a relationship with Bass for several years, L.A. Material reported.

Clark, who lives near Washington, DC, is the president, owner and CEO of G.W. Peoples Contracting Co., a transit construction firm with projects across the country, including in Los Angeles.

The couple’s relationship came into renewed focus after Bass traveled to Pittsburgh earlier this month, where she was spotted with Clark. Her official schedule listed her as “out of state,” without identifying the purpose of the trip, according to L.A. Material.

Clark has appeared with Bass during several significant moments in her political career, including her 2022 mayoral primary victory celebration and inauguration.

Bass has rarely discussed the relationship publicly.

In April 2022, she posted a holiday message referring to Clark as “my partner Melvin.”

Clark’s professional background stretches back decades.

He founded Metroplex Corp. in the early 1980s after working as a tax attorney, eventually building the company into a minority-owned rail and highway construction business. Metroplex secured contracts involving military bases and transit agencies, and Clark later sold the company to Balfour Beatty in 2000.

He subsequently acquired G.W. Peoples, which has worked on transportation projects from Atlanta to LA.

The company previously received a $13 million contract connected to the Regional Connector, a Metro project beneath downtown Los Angeles that began in 2020, before Bass became mayor.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Clark has also maintained political connections over the years, including serving on a delegation to Africa during the Clinton administration and appearing before Congress to discuss discrimination and contracting opportunities in the railroad industry.

His relationship with Bass predates her time as mayor.

Clark donated $1,000 to Bass’ congressional campaign in 2017 and later donated $1,800 — the maximum contribution — to her reelection campaign, according to L.A. Material.

The pair have maintained a long-distance relationship, with Clark traveling to Los Angeles and Bass visiting him on the East Coast.

Despite Bass’ decades in public office, Clark is not listed in her official biography and has largely remained absent from her public political image.

The California Post contacted Bass’ team for comment.