Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was criticized for her handling of the devastating wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area. Critics pointed to her absence during the fires and her previous cuts to the fire department budget.
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was met with criticism for her handling of the devastating wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area. Video captured by Sky News shows a reporter repeatedly ignored by Bass for nearly two minutes at Los Angeles International Airport when questioned about the fires. The mayor was in Africa when the Los Angeles County fires started.
'Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department by millions of dollars? Have you nothing to say today?' the reporter asked. At a press conference when she returned to Los Angeles County, she did respond to questions. 'What explains this lack of preparation and rapid response?' one reporter at the press conference asked Bass. Bass responded, in part, 'Let me just say first and foremost, my number one focus — and I think of all of us here, with one voice — is that we have to protect lives.' Mayor Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom were being questioned about state and local policies that may have changed the outcome of the L.A. County wildfires. 'People are always looking to scapegoat somebody,' said Doug Elmets, a Sacramento expert in crisis management. 'I mean, it's a tragedy and it seems to me at this moment in time everybody should come together to address the issue. There's always time to lay blame and that will come.' A woman who said her daughter's school burned down ran up to Newsom on an L.A. County street to question him about his response to the fires. An approximately two-minute back-and-forth exchange included the woman saying she didn't believe the governor when he told her he was talking with President Biden about how the federal government could help the region. Also this week, President-elect Donald Trump pointed the finger at Newsom to direct blame for the deadly fires.A series of wildfires have devastated the Los Angeles area in just days. Thousands of structures have been destroyed and at least seven people have been killed. As of Thursday evening, more than 179,000 people were under evacuation orders while the combined burn area surpassed 54 square miles
Wildfires Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Gavin Newsom Donald Trump Disaster Response
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Los Angeles Mayor Bass Criticized for Trip Abroad Amid WildfiresLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced criticism for taking a taxpayer-funded trip to Ghana while the city was at high risk for wildfires. Reports indicate that Mayor Bass was aware of the imminent danger before leaving.
Read more »
Cause of raging Los Angeles wildfires still undetermined as Mayor Karen Bass defends her leadershipLos Angeles officials delivered an update on the efforts to combat wildfires across the city on Thursday, saying more evacuations are expected.
Read more »
Los Angeles Mayor Bass Faces Criticism for 'Diplomatic' Trip Amid Devastating WildfiresLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been criticized for taking a taxpayer-funded trip to Ghana while the city was facing a severe wildfire risk. Multiple reports indicate that officials, including meteorologists with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Weather Service, warned about the imminent danger posed by dry conditions and strong winds. Governor Gavin Newsom initiated emergency preparations and deployed additional firefighting resources. The wildfires caused widespread damage, forcing thousands of evacuations and leaving the city struggling with water shortages and manpower. Mayor Bass eventually returned to Los Angeles but refused to answer questions from reporters.
Read more »
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Faces Criticism Over Wildfire ResponseLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was criticized for her handling of the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California. A reporter questioned her lack of preparation and prompt response to the blazes, particularly noting her trip to Ghana while the fires were escalating. Bass defended her actions, emphasizing her focus on saving lives and homes.
Read more »
Los Angeles Mayor Bass Faces Firestorm Over City's Wildfire ResponseLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced intense criticism over her handling of the city's worst wildfire disaster in decades, which occurred while she was abroad on a presidential delegation. Critics slammed her for being absent during the crisis and for previous budget cuts to the fire department, though officials say the department now has more funding than last year.
Read more »
Stone-faced LA Mayor Karen Bass refuses to answer questions about absence as wildfires rage across her cityLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass refuses to defend her absence during wildfires
Read more »