LAFD Report Alleges Mayor Bass Office Coached Officials on Palisades Fire Messaging

Allegations of PR Over Public Safety

• 🚨 A new LA Times report alleges that LA city leaders, including the mayor's office and the fire department, prioritized public relations over public safety following the devastating Palisades fire.
• 📄 A 13-page document with LAFD letterhead reportedly includes talking points for the fire chief, emphasizing the event as an "unprecedented event" related to the fire.

Claims of Coaching and Cover-Up

• 🗣️ Allegations suggest officials were coached not to use the word "rekindle," but instead to call it a "holdover fire."
• 💰 Emails reportedly indicate the mayor's office, a PR firm, and the fire department were concerned about deflecting liability.
• 🔍 Trey Robertson, representing fire victims, claims public records obtained by the LA Times add credibility to his assertion that the fire was not properly extinguished.

Mayor Bass's Response and Denials

• 📰 The LA Times report claims Mayor Bass ordered key findings in the fire action report to be removed or softened.
• 🚫 Mayor Karen Bass has denied these allegations, stating her office revised an early draft and only asked the LAFD to ensure accuracy on issues like weather and budget.
• 📢 Her office maintains that she and her staff made no changes to the actual draft of the report.
• ⏳ As of the report, the Mayor's office and LAFD had not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest LA Times findings.