Was Bass incommunicado while returning from Ghana? Or is her office withholding texts?

When a wildfire ignited in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was overseas, leading to questions about her communication regarding the crisis. Despite claims of constant communication, a records request by The Times revealed potential discrepancies, as Bass's office stated they had no responsive records. This has raised concerns about transparency and compliance with public records laws, particularly since other officials released documents related to the event. Bass's travel itinerary indicated she had the means to communicate during the crisis as the fire escalated.

"When flames erupted in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was more than 7,000 miles away, on a diplomatic mission to Africa."

"On Jan. 10, The Times filed a public records request for all text messages sent or received by the mayor while she was in transit on Jan. 7 or Jan. 8 that mention fire response or her travel plans."

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