Is the bass not notified when returning from Ghana? Or is it that her office keeps the text?

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was more than 7,000 miles from Africa’s diplomatic mission when flames broke out in Pacific Palisades on January 7.

Shortly thereafter, the bass returned home, and as the fire hit Palisades and surrounding communities, it was returned home within nearly 24 hours of transportation. She and her office said she had been communicating during this period.

But the new correspondence with Time raises questions about whether the narrative is accurate or whether the bass keeps a public record.

On January 10, the Times filed a public record request to public records on January 7 or January 8 to mention the fire response or her travel plans.

About two months later, on March 6, the Bath office said it had no “no response records” without saying whether it was going to keep any records or any reason for not producing them. The office did not answer questions about whether any letters have been deleted or how to comply with public records laws and the city’s record retention policy.

Bass spokesman Zach Seidl did not respond when asked if there was a detention message or if there was any such message.

In response to public records requirements, other agencies and public officials released many records from the early stages of the fire. California law stipulates the release of such records unless there is a specific exemption.

Bass left Accra, Ghana at around 9 p.m. on January 7, about 1 p.m. Los Angeles time, as the fire grew, she was able to make phone calls and communicate via text and email.

She boarded a commercial flight at Washington Dulles International Airport early the next morning, and only communicated by email and text before arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on January 8 at 11:24 a.m.

Bass said she was calling throughout the entire military flight from Accra to Dulles, and her staff said she was actively involved in decision-making while abroad. At the moment of travel, she also communicated via text messages, according to at least one public official.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said on January 8 that she had been texting with bass until 10:30 pm Los Angeles time the night before, meaning they were texting because bass flew from Africa to Washington,

“Believe me, she is very dedicated. Barger’s area includes the Eaton Fire Zone.

It is not clear why the office of Beth's office does not provide such text messages in response to the Record of the Times request.

“If she texts on city business, whether it's texting on a plane by phone or doing work from a public dime through email on a desk,” said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Alliance. “These are public records, and I think the general public rights have the right to see them unless there are some specific exemptions that apply to the Public Records Act, such as attorney-client privilege, assumptions.”

The New York Times has at least one text message that the city should disclose based on public records requests.

On January 7, at 11:50 a.m. Los Angeles time, the area where Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath includes Pacific Palisades, texting bass.

“Thank a hand about the Palisade Fire. I understand that our county fire department is providing support to the city and our emergency management office is in touch with city staff. Do you need additional help/support? What do you want to put on our radar at the moment?” Horvath wrote the bass in a text message from Horvath's office in response to a New York Times request for public records.

The bass responded at 1:07 pm LA time, or after 9 pm Ghana time, when she would be back home.

“Thank you for asking me for it, I think we're fine – I'll call you in the morning,” Bass wrote.

It is unclear why the bass office rejected such a mundane response, or the office retained other information.

Even if the messages were sent on a bass personal phone, they would still be considered a matter of public records if they deal with public business, the California Supreme Court ruled in 2017.

Times worker Matt Hamilton and David Zahniser contributed to the report.