- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
LA Mayor Calls for 2028 Olympics Head to Resign Over Epstein Ties
Casey Wasserman faces mounting pressure to step down from leading the LA Olympics organizing team.
Published on Feb. 18, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has publicly called for Casey Wasserman, the head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing team, to resign over his historic ties to Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Wasserman's flirtatious emails with Maxwell from 2003 were recently published, sparking scrutiny and pressure on him to step down despite the LA Olympics board backing him to stay after an outside review.
Why it matters
The leadership of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a critical role, and Wasserman's ties to the Epstein scandal have become a major distraction. As mayor, Bass has an important say in the success of the LA Olympics, and her public call for Wasserman to resign signals growing political pressure that could impact the games' preparations.
The details
Mayor Bass told CNN that while she cannot directly fire Wasserman, she believes 'he should step down' from his role leading the LA28 Olympics organizing team. This comes after the release of Wasserman's emails with Ghislaine Maxwell from 2003, which have sparked scrutiny and led to some of his clients dropping him. The LA Olympics board had previously backed Wasserman to stay after an outside review, but Bass said she disagrees with that decision.
- The emails between Wasserman and Maxwell were published in a release of US government files just days before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
- Mayor Bass made her public call for Wasserman to resign in a CNN interview on February 17, 2026.
The players
Karen Bass
The mayor of Los Angeles who has publicly called for Casey Wasserman to resign from his role leading the 2028 Olympics organizing team.
Casey Wasserman
The head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing team who is facing growing pressure to resign over his historic ties to Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Ghislaine Maxwell
The former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted in 2021 on five counts of sex trafficking and abuse of minors, and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Jeffrey Epstein
The disgraced financier who was accused of sex trafficking minors and died in jail in 2019.
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
The international organization responsible for overseeing the Olympic Games, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
What they’re saying
“My opinion is that he should step down”
— Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles (CNN)
“I understand there are many conversations happening at this moment but I will not make any further comment. This is obviously a matter for the board of LA28 still at this stage.”
— Mark Adams, IOC Spokesman (IOC News Conference)
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell, which was long before her horrific crimes came to light.”
— Casey Wasserman (Statement)
What’s next
The LA Olympics board is expected to further discuss Wasserman's status in the coming days and weeks.
The takeaway
The fallout from Wasserman's ties to the Epstein scandal has become a major distraction for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the mayor's public call for his resignation signaling growing political pressure that could impact the games' preparations if not addressed.
