Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

With L.A.’s mayor facing a recall threat, her supporters go after billionaires
Los Angeles Times ^ | March 14, 2025 3 AM PT | David Zahniser

Posted on 03/14/2025 11:03:45 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

For more than two months, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced lacerating criticism over her handling of the Palisades fire — her absence from the country when it erupted, her wobbly public appearances once she returned, even her failure to preserve her text messages.

In recent days, pro-Bass forces have been pushing back hard, arguing that she is under attack from “wealthy oligarchs,” including real estate developer Rick Caruso and Nicole Shanahan, who is helping to bankroll a campaign to recall her.

Bass’ backers are portraying the attacks as highly partisan, amplified by a hard-right media apparatus and — at least for some — rooted in racism. Those arguments offer a potential preview of the political case that will be made for Bass as she runs for reelection and seeks to fend off the recall in deep blue L.A.

In a recent email to Bass supporters, Joanne Kim, chief of staff to City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, said right-wing billionaires have “weaponized” the Jan. 7 fire, using it to wage a “disinformation campaign” against the mayor. Kim, who worked on Bass’ 2022 campaign, took aim not just at Caruso but also billionaire Elon Musk, who has posted diatribes against the mayor on social media.

“This is their strategy: exploit tragedy, distort reality, divide the people. We won’t let them,” Kim wrote in her 1,000-word email. “I ask you to use every communication platform you have to shut down the lies and show we stand with our Mayor.”

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; davidzahniser; gavinnewsom; ghana; incompetent; karenbass; losangeles; losangelesslimes; losangelestimes; recall; unfitforoffice

1 posted on 03/14/2025 11:03:45 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

“… Kim wrote in her 1,000-word email.”

I think a 4-hour video podcast would have been more effective…


2 posted on 03/14/2025 11:08:23 AM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Bass never had responsibility in her whole life.

She was able to survive, and thrive, in Congress by spewing the required woke, racial, democrat party slogans, and made herself into the “African Princess” by being on the foreign relations committee and heading the Africa sub-committee. It was a perfect position for photo-ops, PR and racial-sloganeering.

The fact she wanted to become Mayor of LA, a job required to deal with police, crime, fires, garbage collection and natural disasters shows how stupid she is.

She never realized this political position actually meant being responsible for something.


3 posted on 03/14/2025 11:13:02 AM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Those wealthy oligarchs are the ones who support democrats and their policies.

IOW, they got what they paid for.


4 posted on 03/14/2025 11:16:10 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Bass suck-up, Joanne Kim, chief of staff to City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, emails “right-wing billionaires have ‘weaponized’ the Jan. 7 fire, using it to wage a disinformation campaign against the mayor.”

Kim worked on Bass’ 2022 campaign, writing in her 1,000-word email. “This is their strategy: exploit tragedy, distort reality, divide the people. We won’t let them, I ask you to use every communication platform you have to shut down the lies and show we stand with our Mayor.”


Mmmmmm......this is more like Bass’ desperate strategy up close:

A. Disassociate yourself from all responsibility for the loss of homes, possessions and livelihoods.

B Hire a willing dupe to front your irresponsibility.

C. Pay the dupe big, BIG bucks.


5 posted on 03/14/2025 11:18:49 AM PDT by Liz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

IIRC, Miss Bass’ campaign was bankrolled by Hollywood gazillionaire oligarchs such as Jeff Katzenberg and S. Spielberg.

Such utter hypocrisy.


6 posted on 03/14/2025 11:28:03 AM PDT by irishjuggler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

LA Mayor Karen Bass has rightly faced lacerating criticism over her handling of the destructive wildfires
<><>her absence from the country when they erupted,
<><>her wobbly public appearances once she returned from a tax-paid trip to Africa,
<><>her failure to preserve her text messages.-—AKA “destroying evidence” in jailtime lingo.
<><>her blatant refusal to accept any responsibility whatsoever

Bass’ backers are portraying the attacks on her as highly partisan by a “hard-right media apparatus” and “rooted in racism-”-—arguments which offer a glimpse of the political case power-hungry Bass will use to run for reelection,,,,, and seeks to fend off a burgeoning recall.


Bass herself is not above using racism to deflect blame, claiming “hardest hit” by fires are low income and gay people ....when arguments that wealthy homeowners lost everything did not gain traction.


7 posted on 03/14/2025 11:37:01 AM PDT by Liz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Rick Caruso and Elon Musk caused her to be incompetent.


8 posted on 03/14/2025 11:45:29 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: irishjuggler

nice catch


9 posted on 03/14/2025 11:48:46 AM PDT by Liz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: VanShuyten
I would bet they are more beneficiaries than supporters. Who else would fight to keep this loser in office?

Caruso was/is a businessman who knows how to run things.

Bass' only skill, if you want to call it that, is to have her staff draft bills and to form committees, and blather on at hearings. That is IT.

And the committee woman/bill signer got elected by the stupids of Los Angeles.

10 posted on 03/14/2025 12:34:42 PM PDT by Lizavetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PGR88

Bass was installed just like the POTATUS.

Using a rigged election.

https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-live-results-los-angeles-city-mayor-bass-caruso

And, until Carney, Deep States haven’t hired the front office appearance types for brains.


11 posted on 03/14/2025 12:37:40 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Black excellence.


12 posted on 03/14/2025 12:55:25 PM PDT by Mr. Blond
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Blond

You definitely should qualify. Bass is a socialist libtard above any other characteristic.


13 posted on 03/14/2025 1:11:54 PM PDT by Machavelli (True God)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: metmom

No billionaire should have to be mistreated, unless they
broke laws on the books. Leftists can think of many reasons
to take wealthy people’s money. Don’t allow it for a
moment.

Their money is invested and provides jobs and plenty of
taxes to the states and federal governments.

This is Communism on parade, pure and simple.

Redistribution is theft, no matter how great it sounds to
Leftists.


14 posted on 03/14/2025 4:28:15 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegence to the flag of te USofA & to the Constitutional REPUBLIC for which it stands. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Machavelli

Exactly.


15 posted on 03/15/2025 3:46:43 AM PDT by Mr. Blond
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
amplified by a hard-right media apparatus

I wonder if MSNBC has ever been referred to as hard-left?

16 posted on 03/15/2025 3:59:49 AM PDT by Kudsman (Democrats' brand is FRAUD. Elections, biology, climate, journalism, auto pen, peace, life and God. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson