Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced criticism for her handling of deadly wildfires in the city. When confronted by a reporter, she remained silent and refused to answer questions about her whereabouts during the crisis.
President Joe Biden will eulogize the late former President Jimmy Carter at his funeral at the Washington National Cathedral in D.C. Fire crews battle the Eaton Fire next to a fully engulfed residence, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass remained silent Wednesday when confronted by a reporter who demanded she answer for her handling of deadly wildfires sweeping the city, according to a viral clip circulating social media.
She had traveled to Ghana earlier this week to attend the presidential inauguration of John Dramani Mahama before returning to Los Angeles. Sky News Senior Ireland Correspondent David Blevins posted via X he spotted Mayor Bass in an airport. Video of that interaction has earned over 500,000 views as of Thursday morning. Blevins opened by identifying himself as a reporter. He was then blocked by a person with the mayor, the footage shows. “Fire chiefs say they’re stretched to the limit and running out of water, what have you got to say?” he asked.Mayor Bass then looks away from the reporter, ignoring his direct inquiry. Have you no response to that?” Blevins pressed. “Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes are burning?”Again, Mayor Bass gave no response. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The National News Desk (TNND) about the interaction. Mayor Bass last year oversaw a city budget adjustment which slashed over $17 million from Los Angeles's fire department, according to information shared via X by a city official. The informationThe X post also shows other impacted services included “street services,” which decreased by $21.4 million, and sanitation, which decreased by $15.1 million. Budget items receiving extra cash were “zoo,” which increased by $27,000, and “library,” which jumped $14.6 million. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday also blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the wildfires, saying he “wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn't work), but didn't care about the people of California.”Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to [email protected]
WILDFIRES MAYOR BASS LOS ANGELES MEDIA BUDGET CUTS
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