Karen Bass Accused of Palisades Fire Report Cover-Up

United States===Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is accused of directing the watering down of an after-action report detailing failings of the United States===Los Angeles Fire Department during the deadly Palisades Fire. Sources claim Karen Bass told then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva that the original report could expose the city to legal liabilities, leading to key findings being removed or softened. The Los Angeles Times first reported these allegations, which Karen Bass and her office have repeatedly denied, calling the reporting 'muckraking journalism'. The changes reportedly included altering language about the United States===Los Angeles Fire Department's pre-deployment decisions from 'did not align' with policy to 'went above and beyond'. Current Fire Chief Jaime Halsey has acknowledged the report was edited to reduce criticism and has ordered an independent investigation into the Lachman Fire, which rekindled into the Palisades Fire. The controversy has led to calls for further investigation from officials like United States===Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and public criticism from figures like Rick Caruso.