For more than two months, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced critical criticism for handling the Palisade fire. Her absence when she erupted, when she returned, she faces her wobble public appearance even when she didn’t save her text message.
Recently, Probus Army has been supporting a campaign bankroll that reminds her of her, claiming she is being attacked by “wealthy oligarchs,” including real estate developers Rick Caruso and Nicole Shanahan.
Bass supporters portray the attack as highly partisan, amplified by intense right media devices, at least some are rooted in racism. These arguments provide a potential preview of the political incidents that take place for bass as she runs for reelection and tries to dodge the recall in Deep Blue LA
In a recent email to base supporters, Council President Marquez Harris Dawson’s Chief of Staff Joan Kim said the right-wing billionaire “weaponizes” the Jan. 7 fire and used it to launch a “disformation campaign” against the mayor. Kim, who was involved in the Bass ‘2022 campaign, has set her sights on not only Caruso but billionaire Elon Musk, who posted a Diatrib to the mayor on social media.
“This is their strategy. They misuse tragedy, distort reality, and divide people. Kim wrote in a 1,000-word email. “Please use all communication platforms that need to shut down lies and show you that you are standing with the mayor.”
Vahid Khorsand, president of the city’s Public Works Commission, recirculated emails to Kim’s followers, repeating the warning that the billionaire is Khorsand, “comes to LA.”
“This is exactly why the rights come after her. That’s why they use every step they can to attack her. They know that Karen puts people first,” he wrote.
Staff from the Community Coalition, a Southern LA nonprofit founded 35 years ago by Bass and others, also lined up behind the mayor, testifying at city hall and posting on social media in recent weeks.
Doug Herman, strategist for the Bass ‘2026 Reelection campaign, said it shouldn’t be surprising to see Angelenos’ closest allies gathering behind her in the face of a recall. He said the mayor’s team did not ask Kim, Korusand or others to defend on her behalf, and did not work with them in their message.
“These are her strongest supporters. They respond in the most powerful ways. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about that,” Herman said. “They are saying things about using their first amendment rights to bother them.”
The rallying cry from the mayor’s allies continues for the toughest two months of her political career. This includes six years in the state legislature (including two as chairman of the legislature) and a dozen in the legislature.
Bass has taken the heat in recent weeks by kicking out La Fire Chief Christine Crowley, who has been accepted by the firefighters’ union for publicly saying her department is so underfunded. The mayor also received intense criticism for arranging a $500,000 salary for her wildfire recovery emperor, which was discarded after the fuss.
Still others argue that they blame her for not warning her about the potentially dangerous Santa Ana-esque predictions before moving on to their diplomatic mission to Ghana.
Base responds to criticism by highlighting the progress the city has made since the disaster. Two months after the fire, much faster than the paradise community after the 2018 camp fire, the water recovered to Palisade. Removal of toxic debris in burned areas – the responsibility of the federal government, not urban agencies – took place faster than initially expected.
Bass defenders have taken a more brave approach, saying they are being miscried for wildfires caused by climate change.
Kim, who sent an email from Karenbass.com, the account that was provided to her when she worked on the Bass ‘2022 campaign, said Caruso would not waste making the mayor a scapegoat and “pushing out what looks like a campaign ad.”
Caruso, who ran to Base in 2022 and lost two homes in the Palisade fire, dismissed criticism.
“Angelenos wants and deserves leadership that will rebuild the community and bring them back home. It’s not a more political spin and point of conversation,” Caruso spokesman Eric Koch said in a statement. “Rick Caruso focuses solely on the outcome, not excuses, delays or backpasses.”
Fernando Guerra, who heads Loyola Marymount University’s Los Angeles Research Center, said it makes sense for mayoral supporters to focus on billionaires. Many Democrats in Los Angeles have rebutted the decision by President Trump and senior adviser Musk, Guerra said.
“If I were a political consultant,” Guerra said, “I’d use the word “absolutely billionaire and attack billionaires.”
The mayor’s allies have become increasingly open in recent weeks, mainly in response to two events. It’s the development of Crowley’s efforts to regain work afterwards, and the recall efforts.
Kim advised Bass supporters to take inspiration from a seven-minute Instagram video posted last month by Alberto Retana, president and CEO of the Community Coalition.
Retana told his followers that those who contributed to the climate crisis – fossil fuel companies, businesses, 1%, are responsible for this year’s devastating fires, not bass. He said Trump and his allies have produced stories about diversity, equity and inclusion that are currently being used on the basis.
“This can be hard to hear for many people, but I know she’s under attack because she’s a black woman,” he said in the video.
Gerald Silotonak, a strategist in the recall effort, called such claims “a shame on Angelenos’ diverse coalitions that felt abandoned by this administration.”
“This recall is not about identity, it’s about outcomes,” he said in an email. “And the results under the bass were devastating.”
Silotonac said those leading the recall are not billionaires or right-wing extremists, but include families who have lost their homes in the Pallisard fire and business owners who face widespread crime.
On Monday, the group provided a notice of intent to pursue a recall, claiming it mishandled wildfires, public safety and other issues. A few days ago, the group posted a campaign video focused on the Pallisard fire.
The video featured a clip of Dr. Patrick Snion, owner of the Los Angeles Times, saying that in 2022 it felt wrong for the newspaper to support bass. Sunion said he was not involved in the recall efforts and was unaware that the recall campaign was being used from an interview with “Morning Meeting.”
Supporters of the mayor also mobilized for a hearing for the former fire chief and informed council members that the movement to revive her was part of a bigger attack on bass leadership.
“Let’s call it what it is,” said Siris Barrios, one of almost 12 professional bass speakers, to raise the question. “It’s an attack on her authority, her decision-making, and don’t ignore the obvious. She’s as a black woman in power.”
The firefighters took a completely different stance, saying they were the true storytellers to spread the word about the fire department’s financial struggle.
Some of the Pro Bus speakers were current or former staff members with a community coalition with extensive ties to City Hall.
Two top aides at Bass worked on the Community Coalition board, while the other two worked in the group directly. The mayor’s office oversees the city’s gang reduction and youth development program, which has a three-year, $3.4 million contract with the Community Coalition.
Arguably the closest ally on Bass’ council, Harris-Dawson was in charge of the Community Coalition before winning a seat in 2015. Kim worked in the group for about 20 years before joining Harris-Dawson’s office.
Kim told the Times that he wrote an email because he was unhappy with “false information” and the right-wing attack. She said she should have used her email address, not her old karenbass.com account.
In an email, Kim accused critics of attacking the bass in the Palisade fire, leaving Eaton Fire quietly about the political leadership of Altadena, a suburban Los Angeles community that destroyed thousands of homes.
Altadena is represented by LA County Superintendent Katherine Berger. Katherine Berger is a registered white Republican.
“While they attacked Mayor Bass, they remained silent about the Eton fire, which devastated less-rich communities under the surveillance of white Republican LA County supervisors,” Kim wrote.
Berger is a candid advocate for Bass, who told reporters he was “very engaged” to the wildfire emergency when the mayor returned from overseas. Asked about Kim’s email, she said in a statement that she will work on recovery with all elected officials. “No matter the party.”
“People want the outcome, not the politically condemnation game,” Berger said.
