Exclusive | Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom warned about dragging heels on wildfire docs: Were going to get them
Republican Sen.Rick Scott tore into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov.
Gavin Newsom Tuesday over what he says has been a nearly yearlong delay in turning over documents tied to the devastating Palisades Fire.“Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom seem more interested in advancing their political ambitions than serving the Americans that elected them,” the Florida senator told the California Post.“When government fails and harms the American people, the public deserves answers.
We’re going to get them.”Scott’s comments come nearly one year after he and Wisconsin Sen.Ron Johnson launched a congressional investigation into the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which destroyed thousands of homes, caused billions of dollars in damage and killed 12 people.The senators announced their investigation in September 2025, seeking records on California’s wildfire preparedness and response.
Scott and Johnson subsequently sent requests to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Los Angeles city officials for documents covering everything from emergency preparations and staffing to water supplies, evacuation plans and after-action reports. One request to the LAFD sought records concerning the department’s preparation for the fire, the deployment of firefighters and equipment ahead of the wind event, communications with Bass and Newsom’s office, and the preparation of the department’s after-action report.“Senator Johnson and I have been requesting documents for nearly a year, and despite the delays, we are not going to take our foot off the gas,” Scott said.The Florida senator’s office said Bass and Newsom have “stonewalled” the investigation, but did not provide details on where the inquiry currently stands.The Post has contacted both the mayor and governor’s offices for comment.A July 2025 preliminary report from LADWP flagged problems with critical water systems during the fires, including fire hydr...