Tommy Vieter, Barack Obama's former press secretary and co-host of the podcast Pod Save America, says Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has spoken out even as the city is devastated by wildfires. He accused her of being overseas.
Mr. Vietre on Wednesday responded to a social media post criticizing Mr. Bass, noting that he could find no good excuse or reason why the Democratic mayor had not returned from a visit to Ghana by the time of the post.
“It's an inexplicable decision not to come back sooner,” Vieter said in response to a recent post by Vanity Fair reporter Nick Bilton.
California wildfires rage across Los Angeles County, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes
Basu has been heavily criticized for reportedly being out of Africa when the fires began on Tuesday. Ms. Bass returned to her city on Wednesday.
While the bus was traveling overseas, a major fire struck major areas of Los Angeles County. The inferno has left five people dead, homes and buildings destroyed, and at least 130,000 people forced to evacuate.
Prominent figures claim that bus incompetence is contributing to the ongoing misery.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was visiting Ghana at the time of the fire, prompting criticism from prominent media figures. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Bilton slammed the mayor in a post, saying, “Karen Bass cut the fire department's funding by over $17 million. She (like all of us) talked about the fires days in advance. Even though I knew, I was in Ghana when the fires started. This should be done.” It was treated like a CAT 5 hurricane before it started, but instead it was treated by the current mayor as not important enough to get here. ”
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, criticized the mayor for cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget, telling X: “My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes and are seeking shelter. Not surprisingly, the mayor cut the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget by $23 million, and reports of empty hydrants cast serious doubts on its capabilities.
Soon-Shiong's $23 million figure was inaccurate because the city cut about $17 million from the department last year. But Bass' original budget proposal called for a $23 million cut.
A vehicle goes up in flames during the Eaton Fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 in Altadena, California. (Ethan Swope/Associated Press)
“The mayor is out of the country, the city is on fire, and we don't have the resources to put out the fires. It's like things are getting worse,” said Rick Caruso, a former Los Angeles mayoral candidate. This is a third world country. ”
Hollywood celebrities also slammed city leaders. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar posted on Instagram: “The city of Los Angeles wants everyone to evacuate, but there's total gridlock and there's not a single traffic cop on the streets.”
Influencer and model Amber Rose asked on Instagram, “Why is the water pressure so low in Los Angeles? What the heck, our fire hydrants are barely working here? This is insane!” Ta.
President-elect Donald Trump also criticized the mayor of Los Angeles and California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recent Truth Social post.
“The fire has been spreading rapidly for 3 days and there is zero containment. No one has ever seen numbers that fail like this! The incompetence of Gavin Newscam and Karen Bass is gross….And Biden’s FEMA has no money There is no – it's all a waste of Green New fraud! LA is completely wiped out!
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