Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has been criticized for being out of the country when the wildfires broke out. Three years ago, she promised in an interview to cut back on her world travel and focus on the city.
Before Running for Mayor, Karen Bass Weighed the Cost of Leaving Global Affairs Behind
After her first rally in the 2021 Los Angeles mayoral campaign, Karen Bass opened up about a potential downside to the job: the limited opportunity for world travel and involvement in international issues.
As a Democratic member of Congress and a key player on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Bass had spent decades focused on U.S.-Africa relations, frequently traveling the globe. It had been one of the most fulfilling parts of her political career, she shared in an October 17, 2021 interview with The New York Times at her Baldwin Vista home.
“I went to Africa every couple of months, all the time,” Bass said, reflecting on her international work. “The idea of leaving that, especially the international work and the Africa work, I was like, ‘Mmm, I don’t think I want to do that.’”
Despite her hesitation, she ultimately decided to run for mayor, stating that if elected, she would remain in Los Angeles, limiting her travels to only D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco, and New York for matters related to the city.
