Wildfire crisis could terminate the prolonged honeymoon period for Karen Bass
The mayor of Los Angeles returned on Wednesday from her trip to Ghana, stating that she was in “constant contact” throughout her time overseas.
TroibNews 
**LOS ANGELES** — Karen Bass may be reconsidering her recent trip to Ghana.
The Los Angeles mayor’s poorly timed international travel coincided with devastating wildfires ravaging her city, potentially igniting a political crisis for an official who has previously enjoyed a robust honeymoon period in the nation’s second-largest city.
After attending the inauguration of Ghana’s new president, Bass returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, just as hurricane-force winds and dry conditions set the stage for catastrophic fires that have claimed at least five lives.
Her absence became particularly apparent as local and state officials made public appearances amid the escalating crisis on Tuesday evening, leaving her vulnerable to criticism from political opponents and frustrated residents, thus diminishing her image as a dedicated leader focused on local issues.
“Of course, you don't go,” said billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in 2022. “That's not leadership, that's abandoning your post.”
With Bass absent, critics like Caruso readily filled the public relations vacuum, scrutinizing her leadership.
“Is it as bad as Ted Cruz going to Cancun? No. But it could be an indelible dent in her image,” remarked a veteran Democratic consultant in Los Angeles, who spoke on condition of anonymity to candidly address the political dynamics.
At her first news conference after returning from Ghana on Wednesday evening, Bass called for unity and emphasized her ongoing involvement in the fire response from afar.
“This is going to be an effort of all of us coming together, and we have to resist any effort to pull us apart,” she stated, sharing that she had been in contact with officials “every hour” during her flights on both military and commercial aircraft.
“So although I was not physically here, I was in contact with many of the individuals that are standing here throughout the entire time,” she continued, noting her immediate visit to the fire zone upon landing. “When my flight landed, I immediately went to the fire zone and saw what happened in Pacific Palisades.”
“I have been in constant contact with our fire commanders, with county, state, and federal officials,” she said, explaining her quick return, which included a military plane that facilitated communication. “So I was able to be on the phone the entire time of the flight.”
Despite her popularity and extensive network of allies, Bass has faced criticism primarily from those outside the city’s political establishment, including online provocations from conservatives like Elon Musk.
Supporters argue that these attacks are often misguided or insincere, conflating the optics of her absence with more substantive critiques of her governance.
“Aside from getting the photo op in front of the fire, doing all the work — contacting the first responders, working with [city] council, working with everyone — is something that you can do remotely,” explained Los Angeles Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “It's a luxury for folks to sit on the sidelines and cast aspersions and be politically divisive at a time when our sole focus at this moment should be health and safety.”
However, criticism of Bass also stems from within the Democratic party mainstream and far-left activists. “Inexplicable decision to not come back earlier,” remarked Tommy Vietor, a former Obama staffer and host of Pod Save America, on X.
Moreover, Bass faced scrutiny from activists who accused her of reducing the fire department’s budget to fund a costly new police contract. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the politically unconventional owner of the Los Angeles Times, echoed these sentiments on X, claiming “the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M.”
This assertion is inaccurate. The city was negotiating a new contract with the fire department during the budget process, and additional funding was allocated in a separate fund until that deal was finalized in November. In fact, the fire budget increased by over $50 million year-over-year compared to the previous budget cycle, according to Blumenfield’s office, though concerns about staffing levels have lingered for years.
Bass’s team did not counter Soon-Shiong’s claims with a public rebuttal, allowing misinformation to spread widely online throughout Wednesday. Bass briefly acknowledged at the news conference that the LAFD’s budget was higher than what was allocated as of July 1.
Critics also pointed to reports that water tanks in the fire-stricken Pacific Palisades neighborhood were not full, hindering first responders. However, during a Wednesday press conference, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power disputed those claims, stating that the three tanks in the area were filled with around 1 million gallons each but were depleted by early Wednesday morning. The fierce winds also prevented firefighters from using aerial resources, straining the fire hydrant system.
“We saw four times the demands of water that we've ever seen in the system,” said Janisse Quiñones, the department’s CEO. “We opened every valve available to push as much water into the Palisades area. This fire was different and unprecedented because they didn't have air resources to fight it.”
Bass remarked that misinformation was exacerbated by heightened emotions amid the crisis. “Our families, our friends have been affected, and it's easy to get caught up in information that is not accurate,” she stated at the news conference. “I think most of us know that the internet is not always the best place to get accurate information.”
Wildfire experts noted that there was a limit to what officials could do given the perfect storm of circumstances hitting Los Angeles. "It was a 70-mile-an-hour wind; it's like trying to fight a 200-foot-tall dragon with a tiny little sword. You're not going to win. Once it gets established and once it starts burning, it's going to go until the wind stops or you bump into the Pacific Ocean, and then it's just going to go sideways,” said Mark Whaling, a retired battalion chief from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Bass has demonstrated skill as a political navigator in addressing some of Los Angeles’ most complex challenges, particularly homelessness, which has helped maintain her popularity among residents.
So far, her strength has been the natural inclination of liberal Los Angeles voters to support her. One Democratic consultant recalled being impressed by her innate appeal during a focus group unrelated to any campaign. “They liked her. They wanted to vote for her,” he said. “They liked the cut of her jib; they liked the way she talked.”
However, he warned that the current crisis could jeopardize that goodwill. The crucial question, he concluded, is whether the fires will be perceived as a management issue or merely a natural disaster. “If it's perceived as the former, then the price could be very steep.”
Blake Jones contributed to this report.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Los Angeles mayor’s poorly timed international travel coincided with devastating wildfires ravaging her city, potentially igniting a political crisis for an official who has previously enjoyed a robust honeymoon period in the nation’s second-largest city.
After attending the inauguration of Ghana’s new president, Bass returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, just as hurricane-force winds and dry conditions set the stage for catastrophic fires that have claimed at least five lives.
Her absence became particularly apparent as local and state officials made public appearances amid the escalating crisis on Tuesday evening, leaving her vulnerable to criticism from political opponents and frustrated residents, thus diminishing her image as a dedicated leader focused on local issues.
“Of course, you don't go,” said billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in 2022. “That's not leadership, that's abandoning your post.”
With Bass absent, critics like Caruso readily filled the public relations vacuum, scrutinizing her leadership.
“Is it as bad as Ted Cruz going to Cancun? No. But it could be an indelible dent in her image,” remarked a veteran Democratic consultant in Los Angeles, who spoke on condition of anonymity to candidly address the political dynamics.
At her first news conference after returning from Ghana on Wednesday evening, Bass called for unity and emphasized her ongoing involvement in the fire response from afar.
“This is going to be an effort of all of us coming together, and we have to resist any effort to pull us apart,” she stated, sharing that she had been in contact with officials “every hour” during her flights on both military and commercial aircraft.
“So although I was not physically here, I was in contact with many of the individuals that are standing here throughout the entire time,” she continued, noting her immediate visit to the fire zone upon landing. “When my flight landed, I immediately went to the fire zone and saw what happened in Pacific Palisades.”
“I have been in constant contact with our fire commanders, with county, state, and federal officials,” she said, explaining her quick return, which included a military plane that facilitated communication. “So I was able to be on the phone the entire time of the flight.”
Despite her popularity and extensive network of allies, Bass has faced criticism primarily from those outside the city’s political establishment, including online provocations from conservatives like Elon Musk.
Supporters argue that these attacks are often misguided or insincere, conflating the optics of her absence with more substantive critiques of her governance.
“Aside from getting the photo op in front of the fire, doing all the work — contacting the first responders, working with [city] council, working with everyone — is something that you can do remotely,” explained Los Angeles Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “It's a luxury for folks to sit on the sidelines and cast aspersions and be politically divisive at a time when our sole focus at this moment should be health and safety.”
However, criticism of Bass also stems from within the Democratic party mainstream and far-left activists. “Inexplicable decision to not come back earlier,” remarked Tommy Vietor, a former Obama staffer and host of Pod Save America, on X.
Moreover, Bass faced scrutiny from activists who accused her of reducing the fire department’s budget to fund a costly new police contract. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the politically unconventional owner of the Los Angeles Times, echoed these sentiments on X, claiming “the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M.”
This assertion is inaccurate. The city was negotiating a new contract with the fire department during the budget process, and additional funding was allocated in a separate fund until that deal was finalized in November. In fact, the fire budget increased by over $50 million year-over-year compared to the previous budget cycle, according to Blumenfield’s office, though concerns about staffing levels have lingered for years.
Bass’s team did not counter Soon-Shiong’s claims with a public rebuttal, allowing misinformation to spread widely online throughout Wednesday. Bass briefly acknowledged at the news conference that the LAFD’s budget was higher than what was allocated as of July 1.
Critics also pointed to reports that water tanks in the fire-stricken Pacific Palisades neighborhood were not full, hindering first responders. However, during a Wednesday press conference, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power disputed those claims, stating that the three tanks in the area were filled with around 1 million gallons each but were depleted by early Wednesday morning. The fierce winds also prevented firefighters from using aerial resources, straining the fire hydrant system.
“We saw four times the demands of water that we've ever seen in the system,” said Janisse Quiñones, the department’s CEO. “We opened every valve available to push as much water into the Palisades area. This fire was different and unprecedented because they didn't have air resources to fight it.”
Bass remarked that misinformation was exacerbated by heightened emotions amid the crisis. “Our families, our friends have been affected, and it's easy to get caught up in information that is not accurate,” she stated at the news conference. “I think most of us know that the internet is not always the best place to get accurate information.”
Wildfire experts noted that there was a limit to what officials could do given the perfect storm of circumstances hitting Los Angeles. "It was a 70-mile-an-hour wind; it's like trying to fight a 200-foot-tall dragon with a tiny little sword. You're not going to win. Once it gets established and once it starts burning, it's going to go until the wind stops or you bump into the Pacific Ocean, and then it's just going to go sideways,” said Mark Whaling, a retired battalion chief from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Bass has demonstrated skill as a political navigator in addressing some of Los Angeles’ most complex challenges, particularly homelessness, which has helped maintain her popularity among residents.
So far, her strength has been the natural inclination of liberal Los Angeles voters to support her. One Democratic consultant recalled being impressed by her innate appeal during a focus group unrelated to any campaign. “They liked her. They wanted to vote for her,” he said. “They liked the cut of her jib; they liked the way she talked.”
However, he warned that the current crisis could jeopardize that goodwill. The crucial question, he concluded, is whether the fires will be perceived as a management issue or merely a natural disaster. “If it's perceived as the former, then the price could be very steep.”
Blake Jones contributed to this report.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
