LA Mayor Bass Faces Backlash After Calling for Olympics Chief Wasserman to Resign

Residents accuse Bass of cover-up over Palisades Fire response

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced intense backlash from residents after she called for 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman to step down over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Critics accused Bass of attempting to deflect from her own failures in responding to the devastating Palisades Fire, citing reports that she had softened language in an after-action report to avoid criticism of the city's response.

Why it matters

This story highlights the political tensions in Los Angeles as the city prepares to host the 2028 Olympics. It also raises questions about accountability and transparency in local government, particularly around emergency response efforts.

The details

Bass said Wasserman "should step down" following revelations about his correspondence with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. However, Angelenos responded by calling for Bass to resign herself, accusing her of attempting to "cover up" mistakes in the city's handling of the Palisades Fire. Reports indicate Bass tried to control the messaging around the fire, with a fire department aide advising that more interviews with the fire chief "could invite a high volume of challenging questions" and would be "contingent on the Mayor's direction."

  • On February 17, 2026, Mayor Bass spoke out against Wasserman's leadership of the 2028 Olympics.
  • In 2025, a devastating Palisades Fire occurred in Los Angeles.

The players

Karen Bass

The mayor of Los Angeles who has faced criticism over her response to the Palisades Fire and her calls for the 2028 Olympics chief to step down.

Casey Wasserman

The chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee who has faced scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Terry Fahn

A wildfire survivor who criticized Mayor Bass for attempting to "cover up" mistakes in the city's response to the Palisades Fire.

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What they’re saying

“Karen Bass engaged in a cover up to protect herself from mistakes that contributed to the unprecedented Palisades fire disaster.”

— Terry Fahn, Wildfire survivor (X)

“I call on Mayor Bass to step down after her repeated failures before, during and after the Palisades fire.”

— Anonymous, Critic of Mayor Bass (X)

What’s next

The judge in the Palisades Fire investigation is expected to rule on whether the city's response was adequate in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This story highlights the political tensions in Los Angeles as the city prepares to host the 2028 Olympics, with Mayor Bass facing criticism over her handling of the Palisades Fire and her calls for the Olympics chief to step down. It raises questions about accountability and transparency in local government, particularly around emergency response efforts.