Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Christine Crowley has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that Mayor Karen Bass orchestrated a smear campaign following a deadly wildfire earlier this year.
In February, Crowley was dismissed due to what officials termed her inadequate response to the Palisade fire; her legal team announced on Wednesday that she feels the mayor unfairly placed the blame on her.
According to Crowley’s lawyers, “The allegations stem not from any wrongdoing on her part, but from a pattern of scapegoating and illegal retaliation that destroyed the career of a dedicated 25-year public servant. They’re attempting to silence her for telling the truth.”
Mayor Bass has criticized Crowley for not mobilizing around 1,000 reserve firefighters when the blaze ignited and for allegedly failing to submit a required post-action report.
However, Crowley argues that her dismissal was a distraction from her prior decision to cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by $17 million.
Crowley reportedly informed city leaders and the public that the budget cuts and years of neglect left the department under-resourced and ill-prepared for increasing wildfire threats.
The lawsuit claims that the actions taken by the Bass administration violated California Labor Law and Crowley’s First Amendment rights, seeking over $25,000 in unspecified damages.
Additionally, the lawsuit refutes the significant allegations made against Crowley in February, challenging claims that she neglected to deploy the required reserve firefighters and failed to issue warning reports regarding adverse weather conditions.
