OAN Staff James Meyers
3:49 PM – Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Los Angeles Democrat Mayor Karen Bass has finally offered an excuse on why she left for Ghana after the National Weather Service had already issued a fire alert — later resulting in the most catastrophic fires the city has ever seen.
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During an interview on Tuesday, Bass explained that she traveled to the African nation since “no one told her not to,” noting that the Biden administration had asked her to go in order to represent him and his administration.
The mayor also mentioned that her office has now opened an investigation into why “nobody stopped her” from going, prompting mockery on social media platforms.
“It was going to be a very short trip – over a weekend and two business days,” she said on Fox 11.
“We need to look at everything about the preparation and all of that for the fires… I think when we evaluate that, we will find that although there were warnings – that I frankly wasn’t aware of… I think our preparation wasn’t what it typically is… That level of preparation really didn’t happen. If it had, I wouldn’t even have gone to San Diego, let alone leave the country,” she continued.
After being asked why she wasn’t aware of the serious warnings, the mayor diverted her answer and responded, “it didn’t reach that level to me. No one said you shouldn’t have gone on a trip.”
However, prior to her interview, it was revealed that L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath sent a text to Bass during the chaotic fires, accusing the mayor of leaving her out of a certain press briefing on purpose. Horvath sent the text to Bass on January 21st, expressing anger that the Los Angeles mayor chose not to include her in the important press briefing — according to the Los Angeles Times.
“You asked us to lay off the daily pressers. We did. We asked you to join us for this announcement tomorrow. No response. Now we hear you’re doing one without us today when we are in lead role at your Depts’ request?” Horvath wrote.
“Doesn’t feel very ‘locked arms’ to me,” she added, referencing Bass’ notable go-to phrase she often repeats to other city officials.
The 71-year-old mayor responded to the text five hours later, claiming that she didn’t know which press briefing Horvath was referring to.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Horvath, one of five L.A. County supervisors, has seen her relationship with Bass start to go downhill after the fires took place.
When asked about the text exchange, Bass told the L.A. Times: “Supervisor Horvath has been a tremendous partner. … She and I continue to work together to make sure the Palisades can rebuild as quickly and safely as possible.”
“There’s going to be miscommunication along the way, and at the end of the day, the Supervisor and I are united in getting the people we serve back home and back on their feet.’”
Horvath, on her part, said: “Dealing with a crisis of this scale is complex, and frustrations are inevitable.”
She added: “Mayor Bass cares deeply for the residents of Los Angeles, and I will continue to work with her — as I do with the Mayors of all of my District’s cities — to ensure the County is supporting all our communities.”
Additionally, Horvath spokesperson Constance Farrell claimed that Bass declined to continue to do updated press briefings about the fires with the supervisor.
In all, over 5,000 homes were destroyed and at least 29 people died due to the historic fires.
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