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Karen Ruth Bass (; born October 3, 1953) is an American politician who has served as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Bass previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 and in the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010, serving as speaker during her final Assembly term.
After attending San Diego State University and California State University, Dominguez Hills, Bass worked as a physician assistant and community organizer, before being elected to represent California's 47th State Assembly district in 2004. In 2008, she was elected to serve as the 67th speaker of the California State Assembly, becoming the first African-American woman in United States history to serve as a speaker of a state legislative body.
Bass was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. She represented California's 33rd congressional district during her first term; redistribution of districts moved her to 37th district in 2012. She chaired the Congressional Black Caucus during the 116th Congress. After winning the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, Bass became the first woman to serve as mayor of Los Angeles.
Witnessing the civil rights movement on television with her father as a child sparked her interest in community activism. While in middle school, Bass began volunteering for Robert Kennedy's presidential campaign. In the mid-1970s she was an organizer for the Venceremos Brigade, a pro-Cuban Revolution group that organized trips by Americans to Cuba. She visited Cuba eight times in the 1970s.
Bass studied philosophy at San Diego State University from 1971 to 1973 and graduated from the physician assistant program at the USC Keck School of Medicine in 1982. She then earned a Bachelor of Science with a major in health sciences from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 1990.
In the 1980s, she worked as an emergency medicine physician assistant and a clinical instructor at the physician assistant program at the USC Keck School of Medicine. In the late 1980s, Bass and other local community organizers founded Community Coalition, a South Los Angeles grassroots organization.
While serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California, Bass received a Master of Social Work from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in 2015.
Speaker Fabian Núñez appointed Bass California State Assembly majority whip for the 2005–06 legislative session and majority floor leader for the 2007–08 legislative session. During her term as majority whip, Bass was vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. As vice chair, she commissioned the first ever "State of Black California" report.
As speaker, Bass promoted numerous laws to improve the state's child welfare system. During her first year, she ushered through expansion of Healthy Families Insurance Coverage to prevent children from going without health insurance and worked to eliminate bureaucratic impediments to the certification of small businesses. She also secured more than $2.3 million to help revitalize the historic Vision Theater in Los Angeles and more than $600 million for Los Angeles Unified School District. Bass worked with the governor and initiated the California Commission on the 21st-Century Economy to reform California's tax code. She also fought to repeal the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
In June 2009, Bass drew criticism from conservative commentators for statements she made during an interview with Los Angeles Times reporter Patt Morrison in response to a question about how conservative talk radio affected the Assembly's efforts to pass a state budget. Referencing the condemnation from conservative talk radio hosts that three Republicans experienced after they voted for a Democrat-sponsored plan to create revenue by raising taxes, Bass described the pressures Republican lawmakers face:
The Republicans were essentially threatened and terrorized against voting for revenue. Now some are facing recalls. They operate under a terrorist threat: "You vote for revenue and your career is over." I don't know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it's about free speech, but it's extremely unfair.Bass, Dave Cogdill, Darrell Steinberg, and Michael Villines received the 2010 Profile in Courage Award for their leadership in the budget negotiations and their efforts to address the severe financial crisis.
Bass raised $932,281.19 and spent $768,918.65. Her 2010 campaign contributions came from diverse groups, with none donating more than 15% of her total campaign funds. The five major donors to her campaign were labor unions, with $101,950; financial institutions, with $90,350; health professionals, with $87,900; the entertainment industry, with $52,400; and lawyers and law firms, with $48,650.
Bass won the election with over 86% of the vote on November 2, 2010.
Bass was involved in President Barack Obama's reelection campaign. She played a leadership role in the California African Americans for Obama organization and served on Obama's national African American Leadership Council. Bass had also served as a co-chair of African Americans for Obama in California during the 2008 presidential campaign.
After the 2018 elections, Democrats regained the majority in the House of Representatives. Representative Seth Moulton and others who felt the current leadership was "too old" gathered signatures to replace Nancy Pelosi as the Democrats' leader. Bass was their first choice for leader, but she rejected the offer, supporting Pelosi for speaker. On November 28, 2018, Pelosi won the speakership on a 203-to-32 vote.
Bass served as the second vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 115th Congress. She was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus on November 28, 2018, and served in that capacity from 2019 to 2021.
During this time, a video emerged of Bass speaking at the 2010 opening of a Scientology establishment in Los Angeles outside her district. Bass gave a speech praising the Church of Scientology for what she described as fighting against inequality, singling out the words of founder L. Ron Hubbard "that all people of whatever race, color or creed are created with equal rights." In 2020, Bass defended her past remarks, tweeting that she had addressed "a group of people with beliefs very different than my own" and "spoke briefly about things I think most of us agree with". In addition, Bass tweeted that "since then, published first-hand accounts in books, interviews and documentaries have exposed the."
Bass was also criticized for a statement she had made in 2016 on the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, which she called a "great loss to the people of Cuba". Bass said she had been trying to express her condolences to the Cuban population, but added that "it's certainly something that I would not say again".
When Biden chose Kamala Harris as his running mate, Bass tweeted, "@KamalaHarris is a great choice for Vice President. Her tenacious pursuit of justice and relentless advocacy for the people is what is needed right now."
In November 2020, Biden considered Bass for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Secretary of Health and Human Services. Ultimately, Biden nominated Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to the posts, respectively.
In June 2023, Bass signed an order to speed up processing for affordable housing developments in Los Angeles. Later that year, she introduced a change to the order that made affordable housing projects in single-family neighborhoods ineligible for fast-tracking. By one estimate, this reversal put 1,443 potential units of low-income housing in legal limbo. In July 2024, she imposed further restrictions on affordable housing, making them ineligible for fast-tracking in "historic districts" and on lots that already have rent-controlled apartments.
In September 2023, Bass expressed support for tearing down the Marina Freeway and replacing it with housing, but she had reversed her support by October 2023 and expressed opposition to tearing down the freeway.
In July 2024, advocates for low-income housing sued the city of Los Angeles for blocking the construction of 140 units of affordable housing in Venice. The housing advocates faulted Bass for allowing local officials to block the housing rather than direct city officials to advance the project. One of Bass's former staffers said that superiors directed them to stop advancing this project through the city's bureaucracy. The Los Angeles Times editorial board criticized Bass for her role in blocking the housing development.
In 2025, Bass supported the Los Angeles City Council in opposing state legislation SB 79, which would allow dense housing near major public transit stations in California. She urged Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the legislation, but he ultimately signed it in October 2025. According to California YIMBY, "This is the most transformative housing legislation that’s ever been signed into law by any governor. Gov. Newsom has cemented his legacy as a courageous leader on housing."
Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley criticized Bass for cutting $17.6 million from the annual budget to the fire department. Soon-Shiong noted that severe fire hazard conditions had been known well in advance and that fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades lacked pressure. Crowley warned in December 2024 that the $17.6 million budget reduction approved by Bass had reduced the department's emergency response capabilities against events like wildfires, highlighting a reduction from the department's overtime budget. The $17.6 million budget cut came after Bass had initially proposed a $23 million cut from the fire department's budget. After the cuts made in the annual budget from June 2024, $53 million was later approved by the city for pay raises for firefighters and another $58 million was approved for new firetrucks and equipment in November. After initially declining to respond to criticism, Bass stated on January 9 that "there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation" before refusing to answer further questions about the topic.
On February 21, 2025, Bass fired Crowley as Fire Chief, claiming that Crowley had left the department unprepared in advance of the outbreak of the Palisades Fire. She claimed that she was only in Ghana because Crowley failed to warn her about the fire danger, something Crowley has pushed back on. The decision to fire Crowley was criticized by many, including Caruso, who alongside various media outlets linked the firing to Crowley speaking out about fire department budget cuts.
Bass voted for the first and second impeachments of Donald Trump.
Starting in May 2012, the Caucus began hosting an annual Foster Youth Shadow Day, during which foster youth come to Washington, DC, for a week to learn about advocating for reforms to the child welfare system. The week culminates in Shadow Day, when participants spend a day following their members of Congress through their daily routine. Bass serves on the organization's board of directors.
In 2018, she voted in favor of the First Step Act, which focused on rehabilitating people in prison by incentivizing them with the possibility of an earlier release. Her contribution to the bill was a section addressing what she considers the inhumane practice of shackling women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
During the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Bass condemned the military offensive launched by Azerbaijani and Turkish-backed forces on Artsakh. In response to the 2022 blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, Bass expressed support for providing direct humanitarian assistance to Artsakh, facilitating negotiations between Baku and Stepanakert to guarantee the rights and security of Artsakh's Armenian population, and replacing Russian troops in Artsakh with international peacekeepers.
The bill passed the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on a mostly party-line vote of 220–212, but not the evenly divided Senate amid opposition from Republicans.Amy Sherman, Bipartisan police reform has been a struggle in the Senate. Here's the story, PolitiFact (April 30, 2021).Felicia Sonmez & Mike DeBonis, Republicans, Democrats unable to reach deal on bill to overhaul policing tactics in the aftermath of protests over killing of Black Americans, Washington Post (September 22, 2021). Negotiations between Republican and Democratic senators on a reform bill collapsed in September 2021.
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Personal life
From 1980 to 1986, Bass was married to Jesus Lechuga. Following their divorce, Bass and Lechuga jointly raised their daughter and her siblings, Bass's four stepchildren. Her daughter, Emilia Bass-Lechuga, and son-in-law, Michael Wright, were killed in a car crash in 2006. Bass worships at a Baptist church.
September 2022 burglary
On September 9, 2022, Bass's Los Angeles home was burglarized and two firearms were stolen. In a public statement, Bass called the incident "unnerving" and "something that far too many Angelenos have faced." According to Bass, the firearms had been securely stored, and no other valuables were taken from her home. As of September 14, two suspects in the criminal investigation were detained at the LAPD Valley Jail awaiting trial on residential burglary charges. In an interview, Bass said the incident "shattered" her sense of safety within Los Angeles.
April 2024 break-in
On April 21, 2024, a person broke a window and entered the Getty House, where Bass lived as Mayor of Los Angeles. She and her family were reportedly unharmed, and the suspect was apprehended.
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Categories: 1953 Births, Living People, 20th-century African-american Politicians, 20th-century African-american Women Politicians, 20th-century American Women Politicians, 21st-century African-american Politicians, 21st-century African-american Women Politicians, 21st-century American Women Politicians, 21st-century Mayors Of Places In California, 21st-century Members Of The California State Legislature, African-american Mayors In California, African-american State Legislators In California, African-american Women Mayors, Alexander Hamilton High School Alumni, American Women Academics, California State University, Dominguez Hills Alumni, Democratic Party Mayors In California, Democratic Party Members Of The California State Assembly, Female Members Of The United States House Of Representatives, Keck School Of Medicine Of Usc Alumni, Mayors Of Los Angeles, People From Fairfax, Los Angeles, People From Venice, Los Angeles, Speakers Of The California State Assembly, University Of California Regents, University Of Southern California Faculty, Usc Suzanne Dworak-peck School Of Social Work Alumni, Women Legislative Speakers, Women Mayors Of Places In California, Women State Legislators In California
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