Key facts
- Comedian Kathy Griffin accused the LAPD of White nationalism.
- Griffin suggested Mayor Karen Bass faces adversity due to her race and gender.
- Mayor Bass did not directly respond to the White nationalism accusation.
- Bass clarified her limited authority over federal actions and other local issues.
- Bass has previously called for police reform and efforts to address officers linked to extremist organizations.
During an Instagram Live event, comedian Kathy Griffin accused the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) of harboring White nationalism and suggested that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faces adversity due to her identity as a Black woman. Griffin stated that the LAPD and the Los Angeles City Council could be hostile towards Bass. Mayor Bass, while present during Griffin's remarks, did not directly address the accusation of White nationalism within the police force. Instead, she used the opportunity to clarify the limitations of her mayoral power, particularly concerning federal actions like immigration raids, and other areas such as school and healthcare policy. Bass also noted that she is not in charge of schools or healthcare, yet is sometimes blamed for issues in those sectors. Griffin asked how Bass deals with such elements, to which Bass responded by emphasizing her limited enforcement power over federal officers. Rival mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt reacted to a clip of the exchange, characterizing Bass as 'scared and desperate.' The article notes that Bass has previously advocated for police reform in 2020, including efforts to identify and discipline officers linked to domestic extremist groups and to improve training access for underrepresented ethnic groups. However, she has also largely supported the LAPD and pushed for increased recruitment.