Things have been, in a word, tense between L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Fire Chief Kristin Crowley.
Well, now former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. Karen Bass has fired her:
Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief.
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) February 21, 2025
1,000 firefighters were sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch the day the fires broke out.
Chief Crowley refused to…
Back at the start of January, Crowley was very critical of city leadership, saying they failed her before and after the wildfires broke out. Bass and Crowley had a very fraught closed-door meeting in which Crowley expected to be fired around the same time.
Bass is getting dragged in the replies over this:
You’re a coward. The best interest of LA would be your resignation. Chief Crowley served our city for 22 years. You’re a hack who flew to Africa for a vanity trip. You’re just pissed off Crowley called you out.
— Rosie Memos (@almostjingo) February 21, 2025
It sure seems like Crowley's criticism played a role in this.
If incompetence played a role in a tragedy of this magnitude, then people much higher up than the Fire Chief need to at a minimum, lose their jobs. Who did the Fire Chief report to Karen?
— MAZE (@mazemoore) February 21, 2025
Excellent questions.
Firefighters were sent home because there weren’t enough firetrucks.
— Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) February 21, 2025
Why? Because they were broken.
Why were they broken? Because Karen Bass cut the budget.
She did cut the fire department budget.
if only there had been a mayor present when these fires broke out.
— Super Journalist (Retired) - JOURN-EL of Skrypton (@Magnum_CK) February 21, 2025
But Ghana.
They were sent home because there was no water. No water because you and Newsom did not fill the reservoirs. You need to resign.
— Floridian 🇺🇸 FA/FO (@RandomFLDude) February 21, 2025
If she cared about L.A., that's what she'd do.
You are the worst Mayor Los Angeles has ever had. Firing everyone under you will do nothing to change that, @MayorOfLA. https://t.co/XSo06LEFAr
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) February 21, 2025
Now she can say she's demonstrating 'leadership' by firing people for her failed policies.
FIREFIGHTERS WERE SENT HOME BECAUSE YOU CUT THE BUDGET AGAINST HER WARNING https://t.co/h5jeOFDX0z
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) February 21, 2025
And now Bass has fired her.
This looks SO bad.
Very stable city run by people who definitely know what they're doing and aren't jumping from moment-to-moment out of sheer panic and incompetence. Better host the Olympics! https://t.co/IJR2fBUAYC
— NOlympics LA (@NOlympicsLA) February 21, 2025
That's going to be a cluster.
We all know why you fired her, because she told the truth about your terrible administration https://t.co/ZnZu5SaEPN
— Miguel Escobar (@MiguelEscobarJr) February 21, 2025
That's definitely what this looks like.
You were warned and you knew what was coming and yet you still left. Kristin was here, fighting herself and doing what she could.
— cloud✗⁷ (@mintmoonchild) February 21, 2025
LAFD already had it's shortfalls and your new budget didn't keep that in mind. Have some damn shame. https://t.co/aACFLwaG6H
She has no shame.
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