Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Accused of Altering Fire Report

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing allegations of secretly modifying the official response report concerning the Palisades fire to minimize the perceived failures of the city and its fire department.

According to reports, Bass, who reviewed an initial draft of the after-action report, sought to either remove or dilute critical findings about the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) performance. She reportedly cautioned then-interim fire chief Ronnie Villanueva that unedited conclusions could potentially expose the city to legal risks, as relayed by a source close to the Democratic staff.

Insiders indicated that Bass was warned against making changes to the report, suggesting it could jeopardize her political future, yet the modifications still went ahead and paused the report’s release.

An official report published in October omitted a portion that revealed the LAFD’s decision not to fully staff or pre-deploy available personnel, even with forecasts of severe winds, citing city policy as the reason. Instead, the report commended department leaders for exceeding standards in the “pre-deployment matrix,” although the fire ultimately resulted in considerable destruction, affecting over 16,000 homes and inflicting damages amounting to $150 billion, along with 12 fatalities.

Bass has consistently denied any involvement in the report’s alterations, a stance that officials claim is not true.

“The mayor claimed she had no role in changing the report, but that’s simply not accurate,” stated a source.

It is still uncertain if Villanueva or other officials made the changes under Bass’s influence.

In a statement, the mayor’s office insisted Bass and her staff did not edit the draft. “Mayor Bass has been clear in recent months. She simply asked LAFD to review an early draft of the report to ensure it accurately reflected issues like weather and budget,” a spokesperson commented.

Bass has criticized the LAFD’s handling of the pre-deployment and fire response that has drawn scrutiny. Yet, she contends there was no need to modify or obscure these details. The mayor has expressed concerns regarding the LAFD’s response, prompting leadership changes and the call for an independent review of the fire’s aftermath.

Critics have raised questions about Bass’s management during the Palisades fire, especially her presence abroad while the blaze occurred, as well as prior financial commitments to the fire department of nearly $18 million.