The Emerging Effort to Recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass: A High-Stakes Political Battle
A Billionaire Backs the Movement to Oust Mayor Bass
A significant effort to recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has gained momentum, with Nicole Shanahan, a billionaire and former Silicon Valley lawyer, stepping in to provide major financial backing. Shanahan, who was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, has been listed as the sole major donor for the Recall Karen Bass Committee, according to its website. Shanahan’s involvement brings substantial resources to the table, given her estimated $1 billion fortune, largely from her divorce settlement with Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Her willingness to invest in political campaigns is evident from her expenditure of over $15 million in support of Kennedy’s presidential bid. Despite her financial prowess, Shanahan did not immediately respond to requests for comment on her involvement in the recall effort.
Mayor Bass Faces Criticism Over Wildfire Response
The push to remove Mayor Bass from office has been fueled by criticism of her handling of the devastating wildfires that struck Southern California in January. The fires destroyed thousands of homes, and residents were left without access to water as fire hydrants ran dry. Bass has also been criticized for being out of the country when the fires broke out, further fueling public frustration. While the recall effort is still in its early stages, the involvement of a high-profile donor like Shanahan adds significant weight to the campaign, potentially making it a formidable challenge for the mayor.
The Challenges Ahead for the Recall Campaign
Organizers of the recall effort face several hurdles before the campaign can gain traction. First, they must gather 330,282 valid signatures from Los Angeles voters to qualify the recall question for the ballot. Shanahan has estimated that collecting 400,000 signatures could cost around $4 million. Historically, recall efforts in Los Angeles have struggled to succeed. For instance, a high-profile attempt to recall District Attorney George Gascón in 2022 failed to gather enough valid signatures. Similarly, efforts to recall Los Angeles City Council members have also fallen short. According to Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, recalls are inherently difficult because they require a significant shift in public opinion. “Generally speaking, recalls are uphill battles,” Levinson said. “You’re trying to fire somebody who you just hired, and you need something fairly cataclysmic to happen to get a successful recall. In this case, we did have something cataclysmic.”
Historical Context: The Rarity of Successful Recalls in Los Angeles
The last time a recall made the ballot in Los Angeles was in 1984, and the last successful recall of an elected official in the city occurred in 1979, according to Joshua Spivak, a senior research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s law school and an expert on recall elections. This historical context underscores the difficulty of the task ahead for the Recall Karen Bass Committee. Despite the challenges, the severity of the wildfires and the public’s dissatisfaction with Bass’s response may give the campaign a unique opportunity to succeed where previous efforts have failed.
Mayor Bass and Her Allies Push Back Against the Recall
Mayor Bass and her allies have dismissed the recall effort as a partisan attack. Doug Herman, a Democratic strategist representing the mayor, called the recall “nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward.” He argued that the focus should be on rebuilding the city rather than spending millions of dollars on a recall election. Bass, a longtime Democrat and former member of Congress, was elected mayor in 2022 with the endorsement of former President Barack Obama. Her deep political roots in Los Angeles and her progressive track record make her a formidable opponent in any political battle.
Nicole Shanahan’s Conservative Leanings and Political Ambitions
Nicole Shanahan’s involvement in the recall effort is notable not only for her financial resources but also for her political leanings. A former Democrat, Shanahan has become increasingly disenchanted with the party and has expressed conservative views in recent years. Her involvement could allow Bass to frame the recall as an attack by Republican-aligned forces, potentially galvanizing her base of support. The paperwork filed by the recall committee lists Sahil Nandwani, a registered Republican from Beverly Hills, as the principal officer. Shanahan has also expressed interest in running for governor of California in 2026, when Gov. Gavin Newsom will be term-limited out of office. “I want the best person to have that seat, and if that’s me, of course I’ll step in and do it,” she said in a recent interview with a conservative podcaster. For now, however, her focus appears to be on ensuring that the next mayor of Los Angeles can “rebuild” the city, as she put it.
In conclusion, the recall effort against Mayor Karen Bass represents a high-stakes political battle that could have significant implications for the future of Los Angeles. While the campaign faces numerous challenges, the involvement of Nicole Shanahan and the public’s dissatisfaction with Bass’s handling of the wildfires give it a fighting chance. As the recall campaign moves forward, it will be important to watch how both sides navigate the complex political landscape and whether the effort can overcome the historical barriers to success.
