Former LA Fire Chief Files Claim Against Mayor Bass Alleging Smear Campaign
Former LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley filed a legal claim against the city and Mayor Karen Bass, alleging a smear campaign and budget cuts orchestrated by the mayor.
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Overview
- Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has filed a legal claim against the City of Los Angeles and Mayor Karen Bass, initiating a significant legal challenge.
- Crowley alleges Mayor Bass orchestrated a smear campaign involving misinformation and defamation after her dismissal, aiming to protect the mayor's political image.
- The claim suggests the alleged campaign sought to distract from criticism regarding Mayor Bass's absence during a fire and absolve her of responsibility for fire incidents.
- Beyond defamation, the legal action also cites alleged budget cuts and retaliatory actions as key components of the mayor's strategy against the former fire chief.
- Crowley demands Mayor Bass cease defamatory actions, retract false statements, issue a public apology, and seeks over $25,000 in damages.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally by presenting the former fire chief's legal claim and the mayor's response without adopting accusatory language. They focus on reporting the facts of the allegations and counterpoints, ensuring a balanced presentation. The article attributes strong claims directly to the legal filing, maintaining an objective journalistic stance.
"The claim from former LA Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley against Bass and the city says that the mayor used her position to absolve herself of responsibility for the fires by defaming Crowley."
USA TODAY"Crowley's legal claim this week alleges that Bass led "a campaign of misinformation, defamation, and retaliation" to protect the mayor's political reputation following the fire."
ABC NewsArticles (3)
FAQ
Kristin Crowley's legal claim alleges that Mayor Karen Bass orchestrated a smear campaign involving misinformation and defamation after Crowley's dismissal, budget cuts to the fire department, and retaliatory actions intended to protect the mayor's political image and distract from criticism of her during fire incidents.
The Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut by approximately $17.6 million, about 2%, in the 2024-25 fiscal year compared to the previous year, before later adjustments increased the budget due to firefighter salary and benefit increases.
After initial cuts, the fire department's budget ultimately increased by over 7% compared to the previous fiscal year due to approved firefighter pay raises and investments in new equipment.
Kristin Crowley stated that the budget cuts led to the elimination of critical civilian positions and a $7 million reduction in overtime hours, which limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies and affected brush clearance and residential inspections.
Kristin Crowley demands that Mayor Karen Bass cease defamatory actions, retract false statements, issue a public apology, and seeks damages exceeding $25,000.
History
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