Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing significant public backlash after it was revealed that she was attending a cocktail party in Ghana when the deadly Pacific Palisades wildfire erupted earlier this month. Newly surfaced photos show the 71-year-old mayor mingling with foreign nationals at a social event hosted at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Accra on the evening of January 7. The mayor was photographed at around 8 pm local time, just hours before evacuation orders were about to be issued in Los Angeles on January 8.
Bass was overseas for an official event when the wildfires broke out, spreading rapidly across Los Angeles. By the time evacuation measures were being put into place, Bass was still in Ghana, nearly 24 hours away from the crisis zone. She returned to Los Angeles on a military flight the following day, January 8, but was still absent during the initial phases of the emergency. The photos taken in Accra show Bass smiling and posing for pictures with attendees, despite the escalating situation back home in California.
The timing of Bass’s trip, along with her failure to cut the visit short, has led to sharp criticism, especially given her earlier campaign promises. During her run for mayor, Bass had vowed that she would not leave the city during an emergency, a commitment she is now accused of breaking. Critics are questioning her leadership and ability to manage the city’s crises after this trip came to light.
The situation escalated further during a recent CBS News interview, when Bass was asked by reporter Jonathan Vigliotti if, in hindsight, she would have made the decision to go overseas. The mayor struggled to respond and was visibly flustered. When pressed on the matter, Bass simply said, “No,” before walking off the interview.
The controversy surrounding her absence during the wildfire crisis has sparked debate about the priorities of local elected officials and their accountability during emergencies. As wildfires ravaged the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas, Bass’s delayed return to Los Angeles raised questions about her response to the crisis, especially given the devastating loss of life and property.
Bass’s overseas trip also sheds light on the personal choices of elected officials during critical moments, with many questioning whether attending international events while a disaster unfolds is the best course of action for a city’s leader.
While Bass’s office has yet to provide further clarification regarding her decision to stay in Ghana, the incident has undoubtedly become a point of contention among Los Angeles residents and political observers.
