Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under scrutiny for deleting text messages from her phone during a critical period when wildfires were devastating the Pacific Palisades. The controversy arose after it was revealed that Bass’s phone is set to auto-delete text messages, a practice that has been ongoing for at least two years, according to city lawyer David Michaelson. This has raised questions about compliance with public records laws.
When the wildfires broke out on January 7, Bass was on a diplomatic mission in Africa. She returned to Los Angeles on January 8, amid criticism for being away during the crisis. Bass and her office claimed she was in constant communication with officials during her travel, but no text messages from that period were saved. According to the Los Angeles Times, a public records request for her texts was met with a response of “no responsive records.”
Michaelson argued that there is no requirement for city officials to save text messages, citing an old state attorney general opinion. However, legal experts, including First Amendment Coalition Legal Director David Loy, disagree, stating that texts related to government business should be retained as public records. Fox News reported that Bass admitted her trip was a mistake and is working to regain public trust.
The incident has sparked debate over the interpretation of public records laws and the responsibilities of public officials to maintain transparency. The California Public Records Act requires the disclosure of government-related communications, but it does not specify retention rules for text messages.
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