Karen Bass Refuses to Answer Questions on Her Handling of Los Angeles Fires

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass returned from a trip to Ghana on Wednesday to find her city in crisis but instead of addressing the devastating fires raging across Los Angeles County, she refused to answer a single question about her handling of the disaster.

Reporters confronted Bass upon her return, demanding answers about why she was overseas while thousands of Angelenos fled for their lives as wildfires consumed homes and businesses. But Bass, visibly ignoring the press, refused to acknowledge the growing outrage.

• "Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning?" one reporter asked. Bass ignored the question.

• "Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor?" Bass remained silent, despite the fact that her administration slashed millions from the city’s fire department, making it the second-largest budget cut this fiscal year.

• "Elon Musk says that you’re utterly incompetent. Are you considering your position?" Bass again refused to respond.

As reporters pressed her on her failures, Bass and her team abruptly fled the airport, avoiding all further questions.

Bass’s decision to travel to Africa while Los Angeles faced one of its worst wildfire outbreaks in years has only fueled anger over her leadership or lack thereof.

• Over 80,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as multiple fires, including the Palisades Fire (3,000 acres), Eaton Fire (2,000 acres), and Hurst Fire (500 acres) continue to burn.

• More than 1,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed, and 300,000 residents lost power as fire crews struggle to contain the blazes.

• Firefighters have been hindered by strong winds and lack of resources, a crisis worsened by Bass’s cuts to the fire department's budget.

This isn’t the first time Bass has been absent during a crisis. Since taking office, she has been focused on international trips and political grandstanding rather than addressing Los Angeles’s growing problems crime, homelessness, and now, devastating wildfires.

Her refusal to answer questions only reinforces the growing sentiment that she is unfit to lead. Even tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been vocal about California’s failed leadership, called out Bass for her incompetence.

At a time when thousands of Angelenos are suffering, their mayor should be standing with them, not running from questions. Instead, Bass dodges accountability, leaving residents to wonder:

If she won’t defend her actions, does she even believe she’s doing a good job?

The people of Los Angeles deserve real leadership not a politician who hides when things get tough.

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