(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass emphatically said Tuesday she did not regret traveling abroad in the days before the wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles area.
Bass, a Democrat and former congresswoman, had drawn widespread criticism and public condemnation for traveling to Ghana despite alerts from officials that the wildfires posed a grave danger to her city.
Bass took the trip, funded by U.S. taxpayers, at the request of the Biden-Harris administration to represent the U.S. in the inauguration of Ghana President John Mahama. It’s not immediately clear what purpose the mayor served on this trip.
A CBS News reporter asked Bass if she would have taken the trip in retrospect. Bass tried to evade the question before abruptly shouting, “No!”
“You know, I am going to focus today on what we…No!” Bass began as the reporter interrupted. She then walked away as reporters shouted more questions.
This wasn’t the first time Bass faced tough questions. While waiting in Ghana for a military plane to return to the U.S., Sky News’s David Blevins pressed her on the trip.
“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the Fire Department by millions of dollars, madam mayor? Have you nothing to say today?” Blevins asked as Bass stood in silence.
The lady's not for talking… but it didn't stop us trying when we spotted LA Mayor Karen Bass on our flight. #wildfires @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/kgtpbBnGSG
— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins) January 8, 2025
The video went viral, with many criticizing what they viewed as Bass’s failure as an elected official.
The Bass administration has faced scathing rebuke for the disastrous handling of the wildfires, which have claimed at least 23 lives.
AccuWeather estimates the damage and economic loss could exceed $250 billion. The relentless fires have destroyed over 12,300 homes and other structures,
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the fires have also scorched over 40,644 acres of land.
