LOS ANGELES () — As the Los Angeles mayor’s race enters its final three weeks, Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman traded sharp attacks during a debate that focused on homelessness, public safety and leadership.
Raman criticized Bass’ record in office, arguing the city has declined under her leadership.
“We cannot afford another four years of decline, of mismanagement of excuses. Homelessness is rising despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent. Storefronts are closing. Our tax money is being wasted, and through it all, we’ve had a mayor who has been MIA,” Raman said.
Bass countered by portraying Raman as a risky choice for the city, particularly with the 2028 Olympics approaching.
“We are 640 days away from the greatest sporting event in U.S. history, and I believe that the city would be destabilized with someone who has extreme views and basically has not been able to build relationships, not on city council and not with her constituents. Now is not the time to turn the city over to Nithya Rahman,” Bass said.
The candidates also sparred over homelessness policy. Bass defended her Inside Safe program, which Raman has criticized as too expensive.
“It’s interesting that she has been the chair of the committee for a number of years and every dollar that was spent on Inside Safe was approved by you. You had to receive reports regularly on Inside Safe,” Bass said.
Bass also questioned Raman’s relationships with fellow council members.
“Your colleagues have a very difficult time working with you. As a matter of fact, we had to twist their arms to get them to even serve on the committee,” Bass said.
Raman defended her tenure on the committee and accused Bass of relying on personal attacks rather than addressing her record.
“My colleagues had no trouble putting me in leadership on the council, making me the chair of one of the most powerful committees before I decided to push back against a system that I saw was failing Los Angeles,” Raman said.
She added, “You’re going to hear a lot of insults tonight, personal insults, because this mayor cannot defend the record of the last four years.”
One of the debate’s most heated exchanges centered on a video created by an influencer supporter that Raman’s campaign later removed after it referred to the LAPD, Police Chief Jim McDonnell and Bass as fascist liars.
“We made an error, but it was an error. And I have never, I would never imply that this city is fascist or that this mayor is fascist or that our police chief is fascist,” Raman said.
The candidates also revisited the Palisades Fire. Bass again apologized for being out of the country during the emergency.
“I am so profoundly sorry that I was not in my city, when my city needed me, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of the lives lost, the families that lost their homes,” Bass said.
Raman criticized the mayor’s handling of the situation.
“When the fires were raging and this mayor didn’t even tell the fire chief that she was leaving the country,” Raman said.
The debate also touched on the future of LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. Raman was pressed on whether she would remove McDonnell before the 2028 Olympics and before his contract expires in 2030, but she did not provide a clear answer. Bass said removing McDonnell before the Olympics would throw the LAPD into disarray.
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