Bass Blasts Raman's LAPD Chief Stance in Fiery Mayoral Debate

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused challenger Nithya Raman of misleading voters during a televised debate Tuesday night, particularly regarding Raman's pledge to replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. Raman repeatedly declined to provide a clear timeline for such a decision, prompting sharp criticism from Bass and her allies.

City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, speaking on behalf of the Bass campaign, directly challenged Raman's statements. "The problem is that you [Raman] have a tendency to take different positions on different days of the week," Rodriguez stated, accusing Raman of intentionally trying to "mislead the public." Rodriguez also questioned Raman's understanding of the mayor's authority, stating, "It clearly means that she has no idea the power of the mayor’s office."

Raman, who has previously expressed a desire to replace McDonnell, stating she doesn't believe he "has met the moment" and has "lost the trust of Angelenos," was pressed by moderators and reporters to commit to a deadline. When asked if she would replace the chief before the 2028 Summer Olympics, Raman demurred, citing the need for cooperation from the Police Commission and City Council, and that it is "not a unilateral decision by the mayor."

Mayor Bass countered that replacing the chief is within the mayor's power and warned that doing so before the Olympics could disrupt department preparations. "It is absolutely in the power of the mayor to fire the police chief," Bass asserted.

The debate also touched upon a controversial, since-deleted video shared by Raman's campaign that featured images of Bass and McDonnell with a red 'X' over the chief's face, accompanied by the phrase "Only you can stop fascist liars." Raman claimed the video was mis-edited and intended to refer to ICE and the Trump administration, stating, "I would never imply that this city is fascist or that this mayor is fascist or that our police chief is fascist." Bass dismissed this explanation, stating the video "made me wonder whether you understood what the word fascism meant, but it also just showed that you’re not ready for prime time."

Bass also criticized Raman's handling of homelessness issues, questioning her ability to manage the city if she struggled to manage her committee's work. Raman, in turn, accused Bass of resorting to personal attacks to deflect from her record on homelessness and housing affordability.

The election is scheduled for November 3.