Nithya Raman, a candidate for mayor in Los Angeles, is receiving criticism for comments made during an interview with social media influencer Ed Choi. In the interview, she refers to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell as “a fascist liar,” and shows a clip featuring a red X over his face, which sparked outrage.
The video begins with visuals of Mayor Karen Bass and McDonnell as Raman states, “Only you can stop fascist liars.” This comment drew fire from the police union, which labeled it a “dangerous dog whistle.” Raman has promised to dismiss McDonnell if she wins the mayoral race, intensifying the controversy.
This interview took place at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where Raman spoke about her plans during her first 100 days in office. Following the backlash, the video was pulled from social media.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League condemns the imagery as harmful. They commented, “Raman’s social media post, which circles Chief McDonnell’s face in red and crosses it out, is not a joke—it is dangerous.” They emphasized that inciting violence against public figures can lead to real-world consequences, noting that both McDonnell and Bass have security details due to threats against them.
Concerns were echoed by some LAPD officers, who described the video as placing a target on McDonnell and criticized Raman’s judgment. One officer noted that if she fails to see the risks of singling out the police chief in such a manner, it raises serious questions about her qualifications to lead.
In response, Raman’s campaign attributed the edited content to the creator of the video, insisting she never labelled Bass, McDonnell, or any LAPD members as “fascist liars.” They explained that Raman was responding to a phrase from Choi regarding ICE and the Trump administration’s actions in the city.
During the interview, Choi specifically called out Bass and McDonnell while asking Raman about her plans to address what he termed a “fascist” situation in Los Angeles. Raman countered by discussing the LAPD’s cooperation with federal immigration agents and called for a change in leadership to better serve the needs of the city’s immigrant community.
The dialogue ended with both Raman and Choi repeating the phrase, “Only you can stop fascist liars.” In the aftermath, Bass criticized the rhetoric as “dangerous and extreme,” stating that labeling police officers as “fascists” undermines their role in public safety. She firmly expressed that such language has no place in the city, particularly not from someone aspiring to become mayor.
Interestingly, this video was made public on a day when reports surfaced about Raman’s attendance at a staff gathering amidst significant events, including protests against ICE. Photographs showed her toasting with her team after an anti-ICE protest, a juxtaposition that some might find ironic given her current campaign focus on those issues.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Raman had, not long ago, voted to confirm McDonnell as LAPD chief, which further complicates the narrative around her current stance as she positions herself against him in her campaign.
