Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger are facing criticism for deleting text messages sent during the January firestorms. Both officials have been scrutinized for expunging their correspondence during these critical days.
According to a spokesperson, Barger’s iPhone is set to auto-delete messages after 30 days, and she sometimes deletes texts manually. Despite publicly acknowledging her communication with Bass during the fires, no written records were provided in response to a public records request. The other four county supervisors do not use the auto-delete function on their phones.
The county’s record retention policy does not specifically mention text messages, but it requires routine administrative records to be kept for two years. The public record act applies to text messages, though some may be exempt from disclosure, depending on whether they pertain to public business.
Mayor Bass had also set her phone to auto-delete messages after 30 days, shorter than the city’s two-year retention period. However, after public pressure, her office recovered the deleted messages using specialized technology.
The lack of transparency has sparked concern among transparency advocates. Rob Quan, founder of Unrig LA, expressed disappointment over the recordkeeping practices, emphasizing the importance of maintaining records from such a significant event.
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