Mayor skips town during wildfire after criticizing others

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass finds herself in a controversial situation after traveling to Ghana while her city battled severe wildfires, a move that appears particularly ironic given her previous criticism of Senator Ted Cruz for similar behavior.

In early 2021, Bass took to social media to condemn Cruz, stating “Ted Cruz fleeing Texas in the middle of a deadly crisis is part of a larger pattern of the GOP abandoning folks in crisis. We need to build a movement to kick them all out.”

TURNER: Why is there no media outrage over Karen Bass being in Africa the way there was over Ted Cruz being in Cancun?? pic.twitter.com/bvT6VwXPd4

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 9, 2025

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Now, Bass herself was absent from Los Angeles during a critical emergency, attending a taxpayer-funded inauguration ceremony for President John Dramani Mahama in Ghana. She traveled as part of a delegation led by Biden’s Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda D. Young, accompanied by National Security Council Senior Director Frances Z. Brown.

The timing of Bass’s trip proved particularly problematic as meteorologists had provided more than 24 hours’ warning about an approaching windstorm, predicted to be the most severe to hit Los Angeles since 2011. This weather event ultimately evolved into an unprecedented firestorm.

WOW! You can actually see the exact moment Karen Bass realizes her political career is over…

Watch her stunned silence when she’s asked if she regrets cutting the LA fire department’s budget.
pic.twitter.com/wMxZ5iUNVf

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 8, 2025

Upon her return to Los Angeles on Wednesday, Bass avoided engaging with media inquiries. When approached by a Sky News reporter, she declined to address questions about her Ghana trip, potential apologies to residents regarding fire budget cuts, or any statement to the city’s inhabitants.

The consequences of the natural disaster have been devastating, with five confirmed fatalities and estimated damages surpassing $50 billion.