Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accuses mayoral challenger Spencer Pratt of “exploiting the grief” of people affected by the Palisades fire, including victims who are still dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. Bass makes the remarks during an interview and the comments draw criticism and attention partly because Pratt says his own home was destroyed in the fire.
Pratt responds to Bass’s allegations with an emotional campaign ad featuring his mother. In the ad, Pratt addresses the impact of the blaze and argues that the Palisades area “isn’t going to come back for a long time.” The exchange centers on how each candidate characterizes the use of the disaster in political messaging, with Bass framing her criticism around the way Pratt discusses or engages with victims’ loss, and Pratt countering that his perspective is shaped by direct personal experience of the fire’s damage.
