Rick Caruso has not completely dismissed the idea of running for mayor again following allegations that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass misrepresented the Palisades wildfire report.
“As you might expect, I’ve received a lot of calls today. There are many discussions on X and other platforms urging me to jump in quickly. It’s truly an honor,” he mentioned during an interview.
“We don’t have much time to decide, though. There’s a deadline looming this Saturday,” the 67-year-old, who switched from Republican to Democrat, added. “I plan to sit down with my family to discuss this before making a decision.”
This comes after the Los Angeles Times revealed that Bass allegedly sought to downplay significant findings in the official fire response report, which implicated failures by both the city and the fire department during the crisis.
“This feels like a complete erosion of public trust and a conscious effort to cover up actions that resulted in loss of life,” Caruso remarked, expressing his thoughts on X. In response to the backlash, Bass deemed the report “absolutely outrageous.”
“When it comes to safety, we can’t just apologize for poor choices and move forward,” he stated further.
Interestingly, Caruso had previously ruled out running for mayor or governor last month.
If he decides to enter the race, he may find himself competing against nearly 20 other candidates, including the incumbent Bass.
The cutoff date to submit a candidacy declaration is February 7, 2026.
