Mayor Bass Stands by Calls for LA28 Chair Wasserman to Resign

Los Angeles mayor doubles down on comments about Olympics leader's ties to Epstein associate

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has reiterated her calls for LA28 Olympics Committee chair Casey Wasserman to step down, citing Wasserman's past association with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. While the LA28 board has expressed full support for Wasserman, Bass maintains that his relationship with Epstein 'is not the best reflection' and that his continued leadership would be 'unfortunate'. However, the mayor acknowledged that she cannot directly remove Wasserman from his position and is instead focused on preparing the city to host the 'best Olympics ever'.

Why it matters

The mayor's public stance against Wasserman's leadership raises questions about the governance and oversight of the 2028 Olympics, which are seen as a major opportunity for Los Angeles to showcase itself on the global stage. Bass' comments also highlight ongoing concerns about the influence of figures connected to the Epstein scandal in high-profile positions.

The details

In a recent interview, Mayor Bass reiterated her view that Wasserman's continued role as LA28 chair is 'unfortunate' due to his past association with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. While the LA28 board has expressed full support for Wasserman, stating that his relationship with Epstein 'did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented', Bass maintains that this 'is not the best reflection' and that she does not support the board's decision to keep him in his position. However, the mayor acknowledged that she cannot directly remove Wasserman, and said her focus is now on ensuring Los Angeles is prepared to host the 'best Olympics ever'.

  • On February 17, 2026, Mayor Bass doubled down on her previous comments demanding Wasserman's resignation.

The players

Karen Bass

The mayor of Los Angeles who has publicly called for LA28 Olympics Committee chair Casey Wasserman to step down due to his past association with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Casey Wasserman

The chair of the LA28 Olympics Committee who has faced calls from Mayor Bass to resign over his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

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What they’re saying

“Let me just state for the record. I was asked an opinion, and my opinion was, it was an unfortunate decision from the [Olympics] board. The board made its decision. So my job as mayor of the city is to make sure that we have the best Games ever in history. So that decision was made. But, and again, I think it was an unfortunate one, but I have moved on.”

— Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles (The Post)

“Casey has the full support of the board, he's not going anywhere, and the board is set up as an independent entity.”

— Anonymous, Member of the LA28 Board (The Post)

What’s next

The LA28 board is expected to continue supporting Wasserman's leadership, despite Mayor Bass' calls for his resignation.

The takeaway

The ongoing tension between Mayor Bass and the LA28 leadership over Wasserman's role highlights the complex governance and oversight challenges surrounding the 2028 Olympics, which will be a major test for Los Angeles' ability to host a successful global event.