Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is heading into a November runoff election with an uncomfortable family matter hanging over her campaign: her own brother is suing the city she leads over the deadly Palisades wildfires that killed at least 30 people and destroyed his home.
Kenneth Bass, 78, and his wife filed suit against Los Angeles on May 18, claiming they suffered injuries from smoke inhalation along with emotional distress and anguish after the January 2025 fires ravaged their family home. The lawsuit, reported by L.A. Material, adds a deeply personal dimension to the ongoing crisis that has dogged the Democrat mayor’s tenure and now threatens her political future.
The filing comes as Bass faces serious questions about her handling of the disaster. She was out of the country on an official trip to Ghana as residents received warnings about dangerous winds that could spark wildfires. The fire department’s preparedness and response have drawn sharp criticism, with roughly 6,800 structures destroyed in the blaze.
Bass secured 34% of the vote in the June 2 primary, enough to make her the top vote-getter but far from a commanding position. She’ll face City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who captured 29%, in the general election. Republican Spencer Pratt finished third with 25.5%.
In the immediate aftermath of the fires, Bass addressed the Pacific Palisades Community Council about how the disaster affected her personally.
“The loss that you’re going through, I share indirectly,” she said. “It’s hit my family too.”
Those words carry new weight now that her own brother has joined the ranks of those seeking legal recourse against the city.
Despite filing suit against his sister’s city, Kenneth Bass has stated his support for her and donated to her campaign as she seeks reelection. The family dynamic illustrates the complicated nature of the legal battles now facing Los Angeles.
The city and the Department of Water and Power have denied allegations of wrongdoing in the litigation. An April 1 filing offered multiple defenses, including that the city has some immunity from claims and that “no negligent or wrongful act” by municipal authorities led to the fire damage.
“Our office remains confident in the City’s overall position that it is not liable for these disastrous wildfires,” said Ivor Pine, a spokesman for the L.A. City Attorney’s office.
Wildfire litigation remains in its early stages, but the political fallout is already well underway. Bass must now make her case to voters while her administration fights lawsuits from fire victims, including one bearing her own family name.
