Shocking moment LA's woke mayor Karen Bass refuses to apologise to distraught residents for catastrophic oversights on fire budget

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was stunned into silence after being asked to apologise to residents for cutting the fire service’s budget by millions.

Bass received heavy criticism from Los Angeles residents for not being present during a trip to Ghana when wildfires broke out in the city on Tuesday night, despite meteorologists issuing warnings about the high fire risk in LA.

Additionally, a series of failures by LA city officials have been uncovered, including fire hydrants without water and electricity left on to fuel the flames, resulting in the deaths of five people.

Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate affluent neighborhoods in the city as homes and businesses are destroyed. During an interview with a Sky News reporter, Bass was asked if she owed citizens an apology for her absence while their homes were burning.

As the mayor remained stone-faced, the reporter continued: ‘Do you regret cutting the fire department’s budget by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor? Have you nothing to say today?’

Still without receiving any answer, the reporter asked once again: ‘Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today? Elon Musk says that you’re utterly incompetent. Are you reconsidering your position?’

Despite the questions, Bass continued to remain completely silent for nearly a minute before walking away from the interviewer.

It comes as Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong blamed the mayor for cutting LA Fire Department’s budget, reminding followers how ‘competence matters’.

He said in a tweet: ‘Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes and are seeking shelter. Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M.

‘And reports of empty fire hydrants raise serious questions. Competence matters…’

For the 2023-2024 year, Los Angeles budgeted $837million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which was only 65% the size of the homeless budget of $1.3 billion, Fox Business reports.

For the 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD’s budget was then reduced by more than $17million from $837million to $819million.

The $23million Soon-Shiong is referencing was Bass’ original budget proposal.

Governor Gavin Newsom also showed emotion in an interview when asked about Donald Trump placing the blame on the California governor for the disastrous, killer wildfires that have ravaged the state. 

Trump said that the governor, who he referred to as ‘Gavin Newscum,’ a favorite of the Republican’s pet names, was at fault for the disaster.

The president-elect lambasted Newsom in a Truth Social post Wednesday for focusing on environmental priorities like ‘worthless fish’ over those of Golden State residents.

Speaking to Anderson Cooper amid the fires in Los Angeles Wednesday, Newsom was visibly hurt by the criticism.

‘People are literally fleeing. People have lost their lives. Kids lost their schools, families completely torn asunder, churches burned down, he said.’

Newsom avoided going further in on Trump: ‘I have a lot of thoughts and I know what I want to say… I won’t.’

He then raged at Trump for trying to ‘politicize’ the disaster, while contrasting him with Joe Biden.

Following the outbreak of wildfires, Bass has posted regular updates on her X account thanking LAPD firefighters for tackling the ongoing blaze, while sharing information about emergency shelters.

However, residents have criticized officials for failing to cut off electricity to power lines, as shocking footage shows how energized cables have fueled fires. 

Local people have also blasted Los Angeles County for allegedly refusing to refill the reservoirs, meaning fire hydrants are running dry in some areas and leaving firefighters hobbled in their attempts to extinguish the flames. 

Businessman and mayoral candidate Rick Caruso blasted local officials for failing to refill the water supplies despite knowing that strong winds which could whip up wildfires were on the way. 

‘Their hands have been tied. They can’t fight a fire without water and the resources that are needed. Everybody knew these winds were coming,’ Caruso told Fox 11.

‘The other question has to be, were all the things in place to try to mitigate the damage here.

‘The real issue to me here is two-fold. We’ve had decades to remove the brush in these hills that spreads so quickly, and the second is, we’ve got to have water.

‘My understanding is the reservoir was not refilled in time, in a timely manner to keep the hydrants going… this is basic stuff, this isn’t high science here. 

‘It’s all about leadership and management that we’re seeing a failure of, and all of these residents are paying the ultimate price for that.’ 

Residents have criticized officials for failing to cut off electricity to power lines, as shocking footage shows how energized cables have fueled fires. 

Local people have also blasted Los Angeles County for allegedly refusing to refill the reservoirs, meaning fire hydrants are running dry in some areas and leaving firefighters hobbled in their attempts to extinguish the flames. 

You May Also Like
Bully Florida boat captain, 40, gets life-ruining punishment after picking on wrong man, 22

Florida Boat Captain Learns Hard Lesson After Bullying Young Man

An unhinged charter boat captain who bullied a young fisherman then jumped…
Naomi Elkins booking photo

New Jersey mother, who believed she needed to eliminate ‘evil’ from the world, not guilty due to insanity after drowning her two children

A mother from New Jersey who drowned her young children last year…
With ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ Jack Black Has Attained the Career Dwayne Johnson Seems to Want

Jack Black Achieves Success in “A Minecraft Movie,” A Career Goal Dwayne Johnson Aspires to

When Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was released in theaters in 2017,…
NHL History Has Been Made, and Alex Ovechkin Did So in a Way to Prevent Revisionist Analysis

“Unprecedented Milestone Achieved in NHL History by Alex Ovechkin, Preventing Rewriting of Narrative”

Over the weekend in the National Hockey League, a significant milestone was…
US stock futures slide amid historic rout in foreign markets

Foreign market turmoil causes US stock futures to drop

Key global stock markets tumbled upon opening on Monday as the world’s…
Carrie Underwood's extraordinary plan to publicly humiliate Taylor Swift: Insiders spill on bizarre secret feud

Carrie Underwood’s Unique Strategy to Embarrass Taylor Swift Revealed by Insiders in Strange Hidden Conflict

When Carrie Underwood announced that she would be performing at President Donald Trump’s…
Pallbearers plunge into burial hole at North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania cemetery | Video

Pallbearers lower casket into grave at cemetery in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Watch the video

A family in mourning is sharing their story following a tragic incident…
'Pour Encourager Les Autres'

To Encourage Others

Greisa Martinez Rosas expressed her views at a recent rally condemning the…
World's second largest automaker makes dramatic move as it stops all US car imports

The world’s second-biggest car manufacturer takes a big step by halting all car imports to the US

Volkswagen is holding cars at US ports amid tariff turmoil. Audi, the…
‘Novocaine’ Comes to Digital, But When Will the 2025 ‘Novocaine’ Movie Be Streaming Free on Paramount+?

When will the movie ‘Novocaine’ from 2025 be available for free streaming on Paramount+?

Are you interested in seeing Jack Quaid endure a brutal beating while…
‘Doomsday mom’ Lori Vallow shares why she made unusual legal move for 2nd murder trial: ‘Fighting for my life’

Lori Vallow, known as the ‘Doomsday mom,’ explains her reasoning for an unusual legal decision in her second murder trial: ‘I am fighting for survival.’

The woman known as the “Doomsday Mom” is preparing to appear in…
Anonymous Epstein accuser recants sexual slavery claims against Moviefone co-founder

A person who wanted to stay private withdraws accusations of being held captive for sexual exploitation against a co-founder of Moviefone

An unidentified woman who had accused Moviefone co-founder and renowned psychiatrist Henry…