In a fiery escalation of a Congressional inquiry, Senators Rick Scott and Ron Johnson have put Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass squarely in the hot seat, demanding a massive haul of records related to the city’s preparedness and response to the devastating January 2025 Pacific Palisades wildfire.
The senators, with Johnson serving as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), didn’t mince words in a letter sent today.
They are seeking to uncover why the tragic fire—which caused billions in damage and resulted in a tragic loss of life—appears to be a re-ignition of the earlier “Lachman fire,” which city officials had confidently declared “fully contained.”
Key Concerns Fueling the Congressional Flame
The congressional investigation is fueled by public reports and previous findings that suggest serious lapses in city management and oversight. The senators’ request to Mayor Bass is a deep dive into numerous areas of concern:
The Re-ignition Mystery: The probe seeks to understand the apparent failure to contain the initial Lachman fire, which allegedly led to the catastrophic Palisades blaze. The Department of Justice recently charged a suspect for starting the Lachman fire, but the senators want to know why the city’s containment efforts failed.
Water System Failures: The letter cites a July 2025 preliminary report from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) that flagged critical issues, including loss of pressure to fire hydrants, and raises allegations of mismanagement of reservoirs—literally a lack of water when residents needed it most.
The Mayor’s Trip: In perhaps the most politically sensitive request, the senators are demanding all records related to Mayor Bass’s trip to the Republic of Ghana from January 4 to January 8, 2025—the time period coinciding with the fires. This includes risk assessments, communications regarding who held emergency management authority in her absence, and even the use of U.S. military transportation for her return.
Budget, Personnel, and Policies: The inquiry expands to cover proposed budget cuts and workforce reductions at the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the controversial removal of Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley in February 2025, and records on the creation and budgetary impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring policies across city departments.
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Accountability and an October Deadline
This latest request follows prior demands for information sent to the LADWP and the LAFD, broadening the scope of the Senate’s review of Los Angeles’s mitigation and suppression efforts.
Senators Scott and Johnson are demanding a mountain of records from the Mayor’s office—spanning from February 2022 to the present—and have set a firm deadline: October 23, 2025.
The pressure is mounting on Mayor Bass’s office to deliver answers on the events that devastated the Pacific Palisades, raising the stakes in a disaster that has moved from the fire line to the halls of Congress.
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