A movement is underway to recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of January’s deadly and destructive Palisades Fire.
The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that paperwork had been filed with the Los Angeles Ethics Commission after it was initially filed with the state of California last week. The filing allows opponents of Mayor Bass to raise money so they can put a recall on the ballot.
“The City Clerk’s office did not immediately respond when asked if a recall petition had been filed, or if a signature gathering effort had been initiated,” the Times reported.
Critics blasted Bass for not being in the city -or country- when the Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7. The massive blaze burned out of control for several days, scorching roughly 24,000 acres and destroying nearly 7,000 homes, businesses and other structures. The wildfire also claimed the lives of 12 people.
The mayor previously said she had not been told about the severity of the fire weather conditions before she left for a diplomatic mission to Ghana. She cited that as one of the reasons for firing L.A. Fire Chief Kristen Crowley.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, left looks on as Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley talks during a news conference at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center in the West Carson area of Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) -
Homes along Pacific Coast Highway are left burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) -
Search and rescue crew inspect a mobile home park destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Palisades, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) -
An aerial view of utility trucks parked near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
A post citing the National Weather Service was made on the Mayor’s X account a day before the Palisades Fire, warning the public about dangerous weather conditions.
“There is an expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon,” the post on the Mayor’s X feed stated on Jan. 6.
Crowley met with L.A. City Council officials Tuesday to appeal her dismissal. To be successful, she would need two-thirds approval from the council—which would be 10 of the 15 council members.
At least one City Councilmember, Monica Rodriguez, has voiced support for Crowley since her firing.
“I am outraged by the scapegoating revealed by the Mayor’s actions. I plan to use my authority as a Councilmember to set the record straight and encourage Chief Crowley to appeal the Mayor’s baseless termination to the City Council,” Rodriguez said.
Opponents would need to collect approximately 330,000 signatures within the next four months to trigger a recall election, the Times reported.
Critics also pointed out that Bass promised years ago, while campaigning to become mayor, that she would not leave the country if elected.
“Not only would I of course live here, but I also would not travel internationally — the only places I would go would be D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco and New York, in relation to L.A.,” Bass told the New York Times in October 2021.
Bass was also in Paris for the closing ceremony of the Olympics when Gov. Gavin Newsom showed up at an L.A. underpass to make the point that local governments needed to do more to clear homeless encampments.
Any recall effort will face a steep climb in Los Angeles. “Several of the operatives pursuing the Bass recall campaign appear to be Republicans, a fact that could limit its appeal in a heavily Democratic city,” the L.A. Times reported.
The recall filing is “nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward,” Bass’ political strategist Douglas Herman said in a statement cited by the L.A. Times.
