Overview
- Kristin Crowley filed the personal defamation suit in late June 2026, alleging Mayor Karen Bass repeatedly made false public claims about Crowley’s conduct during the Jan. 7, 2025 Palisades Fire.
- Crowley says Bass blamed her for failures such as not predeploying firefighters, claiming engines were unused, asserting budget cuts did not occur, and saying 1,000 firefighters were sent home when those statements were false or misleading.
- The complaint argues Bass made the remarks while campaigning for reelection and that those campaign statements fall outside government-immunity protections, so Bass could be held personally liable for damages.
- Bass’s office has called the suit meritless and described Crowley as a disgruntled former official; Crowley already has a separate February 2026 lawsuit against the city alleging retaliation after Bass removed her as chief in February 2025.
- The dispute spotlights broader questions about LAFD staffing and budgeting, alleged edits to the city’s after-action report, and possible political motives in public messaging, all of which could shape discovery and public scrutiny as the cases proceed.