Amidst the raging wildfires that have engulfed homes, businesses, and thousands of acres in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass has found herself at the center of a storm of criticism.
Her decision to be in Ghana for the inauguration of the country's new President, while her city is in the throes of a disaster, has sparked outrage among her constituents.
According to The Post Millennial, Bass was part of a four-member delegation from the United States, attending the swearing-in ceremony of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. This trip was sanctioned by President Joe Biden, and Bass is reportedly en route back to Los Angeles.
The wildfire, which started around 10:30 am near 1190 North Piedra Morada Drive, rapidly spread due to wind speeds of at least 40 mph, as reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department. CBS News reported that in less than 24 hours, the Palisades fire had consumed just under 3,000 acres. Concurrently, the Eaton Fire, which ignited around 6:20 pm on Tuesday north of Pasadena, has already scorched approximately 2,300 acres.
Rick Caruso, Bass's opponent in the 2022 mayoral race, expressed his discontent with the city's management of the crisis. Speaking to Fox 11, Caruso stated, "Theres no water in the Palisades. Theres no water coming out of the fire hydrants." He further criticized the city's leadership, saying, "this is an absolute mismanagement by the city," and added, "weve got a mayor thats out of the country, and weve got a city thats burning, and theres no resources to put out fires."
Caruso didn't mince words when he said, "It looks like were in a third world country here," and questioned the city's preparedness, asking, "What was your brush mitigation program?"
Early Wednesday morning, Bass posted a statement saying that firefighting teams in the city "continue to work overnight to protect Angelenos affected by fires in LA." However, her post was met with criticism from constituents who were upset about her absence during the crisis. Comments ranged from "Youre not back yet?" to "stay gone," and "You should be on the first flight back to LA and not in Ghana. Seriously. Vote differently CA. Get this woman out of office."
The situation in Los Angeles underscores the importance of leadership presence during times of crisis, and the backlash against Mayor Bass serves as a stark reminder of the expectations constituents have of their elected officials.
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