Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been slammed for smirking and smiling in her latest ‘tone-deaf’ video response to the devastating fires in Los Angeles.
Bass has faced fierce backlash after posting a video message about the city’s historic infernos, where she appeared to be smiling as she discussed residents’ ‘unbearable loss.’
The controversial clip showed a rather chipper Bass delivering what was meant to be a somber message about the devastating, fiery crisis plaguing her city.
‘I’ve seen the devastation firsthand,’ she wrote in the caption. ‘These fires across our region have changed lives forever. The days ahead will be challenging but we will get through this crisis, together.
‘Thank you to all the first responders who are working day and night doing everything possible to protect Los Angeles.’
While appearing to smile at times during her address, Bass said: ‘To any of you and all of you who have experienced a loss, the grief, the anger, the just utter shock – I’ve seen the devastation, it is unbelievable the amount of loss that people have experienced.’
Three fires are still burning Los Angeles to the ground – Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst. At least 16 people have died, tens of thousands of people are displaced, and 12,300 structures have been burned to the ground.
The embattled mayor went on to discuss visiting the Sylmar command post and praised first responders.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been slammed for smirking and smiling in her latest ‘tone deaf’ video response to the devastating fires in Los Angeles
Bass has faced fierce backlash after posting a video message about the city’s fires where she appeared to be smiling as she discussed residents’ ‘unbearable loss’
‘I was at the Sylmar command post today and I saw the work of our first responders and how they have been able to defeat the fires in certain areas.’
‘We know we still have much more to go. We know the winds are going to pick up again but we’ve got to stick together we got to stand strong and then we have to rebuild our city,’ she continued.
‘We are the nation’s second largest city, one of the greatest cities of the world. We stay together and we will rebuild an amazing city.
‘Thank you Angelenos and my thoughts and prayers are out to all of you that are going through unbelievable loss and paid today. we will get through this.’
But her apparent smirking throughout the address has infuriated locals already angry over her administration’s handling of the emergency.
Critics are now demanding her resignation over the ‘inappropriate’ video.
One person wrote: ‘She is simply unfit and tone deaf. Mayor Karen Bass is a joke of a mayor.’
‘Why the f*** are you smiling? Resign, now!’ wrote one angry user.
Another asked: ‘Why is she smiling and smirking. What’s so funny about the fires?’
‘Resign now! You have failed your citizens tremendously,’ another chimed in.
‘Why are you smiling? Are you guys this out of touch? Unbelievable,’ another commented.
Karen Bass has yet again faced scrutiny for her conduct amid LA’s most horrific fires
‘No one needs you to give them a pep talk, they need you to be a leader which you are not,’ another user commented.
Critics also used the opportunity to slam Bass’s broader record, with many pointing to her administration’s spending priorities.
Some highlighted the $900 million allocated to homeless programs last year, while others criticized her for allegedly defunding street services and the fire department.
‘Bass spent $900 million on the homeless ‘non profit’ scam last year, it’s worse and they are the ones starting the fires, ask any LAFD Bass hired 450 more bureaucrat parasites for DEI Bass spent $800 million on illegal alien handouts last year… Bass defunded street services and LAFD’
Another wrote: ‘Had Mayor Bass only just done her job instead of driving a woke agenda that prioritized DEI over assuring that the City would have water in the reservoirs to fight wildfires.’
This comes as the embattled Mayor scoffed as she brushed off questions over her reported rift with Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley.
Bass, who has come under intense criticism for her handling of the crisis, said at a Saturday press conference that she and Crowley are ‘lockstep’ in their efforts.
‘We are lockstep in our number one mission, and that mission is to get us past this emergency right now,’ she said.
Embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass scoffed as she brushed off questions over her reported rift with Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley at a Saturday press conference
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kirstin Crowley (pictured) has blasted the city’s mayor Karen Bass for ‘failing’ fire crews and communities devastated by the ongoing wildfires
‘We want to make sure that we save lives, we save housing, we save businesses, and if there are differences that we have, we will continue to deal with those in private.’
As Bass stepped away from the podium, a reporter asked if reports that she had fired Crowley were true, to which she responded ‘no’ and laughed.
It came after Crowley blasted the city’s mayor for ‘failing’ fire crews and communities devastated by the ongoing wildfires.