Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is at the center of a political firestorm after being falsely accused of cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) budget ahead of this week’s devastating fires near the Pacific Palisades.

The claims, further amplified by Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, suggested that Bass had diverted funds to the city’s police department at the expense of fire services. Soon-Shiong took to X, alleging that Bass had slashed the LAFD’s budget by $23 million.

However, those allegations didn’t hold up. According to Politico, the city was still negotiating a new contract with the fire department during the budget cycle.

Funds for the LAFD were placed in a separate reserve until the deal was finalized in November. In reality, the department’s budget increased by over $50 million compared to the previous year.

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Still, Bass’s team remained tight-lipped, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked. Even when pressed by a reporter upon her return, Bass stood silent, prompting frustration from citizens.

“Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?” a reporter asked in a clip circulating on social media. “No apology for them?”

In a press conference on Wednesday evening (Jan. 8), Bass defended her actions, emphasizing her ongoing involvement in the fire response.

“I took the fastest route back, which included being on a military plane, which facilitated our communications,” she said, noting that she remained in “constant contact” with local and federal officials.

Police report that the fires have already claimed the lives of five people whose bodies were found near the Eaton Fire, and more than 130,000 people have fled their homes.

Nearly 2,000 structures — including houses, schools, and businesses on the iconic Sunset Boulevard — have been destroyed in the Sunset Fires.