Former Los Angeles fire chief Christine Crowley took the surprising step Thursday to dismiss Mayor Karen Bass’ decision for her performance in a devastating wildfire that destroyed many of the Pacific Ocean’s Pallisards.
An appeal that requires approval from 10 of the 15 city councillors is unlikely to succeed. But that will almost certainly create further public chaos in the bass that have struggled to regain her political foundation since the Pallisard fire erupted on January 7th.
The move criticized the decision to not deploy the engine completely, less than a week after the bus drove Crowley out, amid wind forecasts to not deploy the engine completely and refusal to participate in a later action report on the fire.
“On February 21, 2025, Mayor Bus removed me from his position as fire chief of the Los Angeles Fire Station, and has chosen to proceed with the council appeal provided by Los Angeles Charter, Section 5, Section 5.08(e)” “I look forward to hearing from you if there is any next step.”
Base spokesman Zach Seidl said Thursday that Crowley “has the right to sue her for firing.”
LA City Charter gives the mayor the authority to remove most department heads, such as fire chiefs, without city council approval. The Charter also gives Crawley the right to appeal the decision to the council within 10 days of her removal, and two-thirds of votes are required to restore her.
Crawley faces difficult climbs by persuading ten members of the council with her.
Includes four of the council members (the council), including Chairman Marquis Harris Dawson – stood at the back of the bus at a press conference Friday.
In addition to these four, Councillor Bob Blumenfield said he believes the mayor has the “right to hire and fire anyone she wants.”
“She needs to have full confidence in her general manager and her chief. If she loses that confidence, she has all the rights to change the head of the department or fire chief,” he said in an interview earlier this week.
Blumenfield said on January 10 that he was also plagued by Crowley’s decision, appearing on multiple news shows denounced the department’s lack of funds when the Palisades fire was still out of control.
“We have to focus on putting out the fire while the fire is furious,” he said.
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