Awkward Moment: LA Mayor Bass Asked About Firing LAFD Chief Crowley While He Stands Next to Her

LA Mayor Karen Bass was grilled by a reporter at a press conference over whether she was or still is planning to fire LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley over public criticism, after rumors swirled on Friday that the chief had already been dismissed.

On Friday during an interview with KTTV Fox 11, Crowley said that cuts to the annual fire budget hindered the city’s ability to respond to and deal with the massive Palisades fire and other wildfires continuing to rage through the city and county.

After that criticism went viral, Crowley was summoned to a meeting with the Mayor, resulting in neither of them being in attendance during an evening presser on the latest emergency information about the fires. Shortly after that, the Daily Mail, citing unnamed sources, reported that Crowley had been fired at the meeting. That story exploded as well and the mayor’s office quickly denied the firing amid widespread outrage.

The devastating fires have resulted in the deaths of 11 people, destroyed thousands of buildings including homes, and more than 100,000 people are under evacuation orders in the state.

During a Saturday morning press conference, a reporter grilled Bass on whether she plans on removing the fire chief — while Crowley was standing right next to her, blurting out “oh my goodness” as the question was being asked, and denying that it had been or is her plan to do so.

REPORTER: When Crowley walked into your office yesterday, were you planning to fire her? Were you angry with her?

BASS: Oh my goodness!

REPORTER: And do you agree with her that the fire department is very underfunded?

BASS: Let me just say that as you see here, the chief and I are lockstep in our number one mission. And that mission is to get us past this emergency right now. We want to make sure that we save lives. We save housing. We save businesses. And if there are differences that we have, we will continue to deal with those in private. Thank you.

REPORTER: But will she be fired?

BASS: No!