LA Mayor Bass Faces Heat Over Wildfire Evidence Deletion

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under fire after allegations surfaced that she deleted key evidence tied to her initial response to devastating wildfires. The citys top lawyer admits her phone routinely wipes messages raising questions about transparency. The scandal threatens to derail her leadership as LA grapples with the fires aftermath and public trust wanes.

The accusations stem from a whistleblower in Basss office who claims she erased texts about early fire management. These allegedly detailed delays in evacuation orders that may have cost lives and property. Bass denies wrongdoing insisting her phone auto-deletes for security not concealment.

Wildfires ravaged LA County last fall torching 95000 acres and displacing thousands. Critics say Basss team fumbled the crisis with slow aid and poor coordination with state agencies. The missing messages could reveal if she knew of risks yet failed to act swiftly enough.

City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto defends Bass calling the deletions standard practice for elected officials. She argues no laws were broken since official records are stored elsewhere. Skeptics point to a pattern of opacity that fuels distrust in Basss administration.

The controversy adds to Basss woes as she navigates a budget shortfall and rising crime. Her 2022 election as a reformer now clashes with perceptions of evasiveness on this issue. Political rivals smell blood demanding an independent probe into the wildfire response.

Residents who lost homes voice outrage over the alleged cover-up. They question why Bass has not released full timelines of her decisions during the crisis peak. Community leaders rally for accountability as lawsuits pile up against the city.

Bass vows to cooperate with any investigation while focusing on rebuilding efforts. She highlights new firebreaks and relief funds as proof of her commitment to recovery. Yet the deleted evidence claim risks overshadowing those strides unless she clears the air.

The stakes are high for LA as Basss credibility hangs in the balance. A state inquiry looms with potential to expose lapses or exonerate her handling of the disaster. For now the mayor battles to restore faith amid a blaze of scrutiny she cannot easily extinguish.