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Former Fire Chief Accuses LA Mayor Karen Bass Of Defamation In New Lawsuit
Crowley says Bass made false campaign statements about her role in the fire response and seeks economic, non-economic and punitive damages.
- On Tuesday, former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley filed a defamation lawsuit against Mayor Karen Bass, alleging the mayor made false statements regarding the Palisades Fire to benefit her reelection campaign.
- The conflict stems from the January 7, 2025, Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people; Bass previously claimed she removed Crowley because the chief sent home 1,000 firefighters during a Red Flag Warning.
- Crowley's legal filing argues the mayor's comments were made in personal capacity to "avoid accountability" and "transfer blame" for leadership failures, rather than being protected by government immunity.
- Responding on Wednesday, the Mayor's Office called the lawsuit meritless, while resident Maryam Zar noted staffing shortages on high-wind days remain a significant point of contention.
- This filing marks the second lawsuit from Crowley, who previously sued the city in February 2026 for alleged retaliation, as the city navigates ongoing scrutiny over disaster recovery protocols.
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Former LA Fire Chief Sues Mayor Bass, Claiming Retaliation After Warning of Fire Budget Cuts
The lawsuit claims that Kristin Crowley will show that after announcing her bid for reelection, Bass continued to make false statements and concealed her being out of the country when the fire first broke out. The post Former LA Fire Chief Sues Mayor Bass, Claiming Retaliation After Warning of Fire Budget Cuts first appeared on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources49
Leaning Left4Leaning Right19Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution47% Right
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources lean Right
47% Right
C 43%
R 47%
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