Mayor Karen Bass Calls on Casey Wasserman to Step Down From LA28 | Video

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called on Casey Wasserman to step down as chairperson of LA28 amid the fallout from his connection to Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker.

“Here, LA28, which is the committee that is involved with the Olympics, has the discretion. The board made a decision,” Bass said on CNN Monday. “I think that decision was unfortunate, I don’t support the decision. I do think that we need to look at the leadership.”

As she continued, Bass condemned Maxwell’s crimes as “abhorrent.” She added: “I cannot fire him, but I have an opinion. And my opinion is that he should step down. That’s not the opinion of the board.”

Previously, Bass sidestepped issuing a direct comment on the situation, noting last week that “any decision on the LA28 leadership must be made by the LA28 Board.”

However, Bass’ comments come after Wasserman shared on Friday that he planned to sell his agency, called Wasserman, amid the controversy.

“I believe that I have become a distraction,” he wrote in a memo to staff. “That is why I have begun the process of selling the company, an effort that is already underway. During this time, Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the business while I devote my full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in 2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city.”

TheWrap broke the news that Wasserman faced a revolt from his music agents, who threatened to leave the agency unless the founder sold the company to them, especially as a dozen music and sports clients pulled out of the agency or stated their intention to do so over the scandal, including pop star Chappell Roan and soccer star Abby Wambach.

At the same time, Wasserman faced numerous calls from local politicians to step down from his position, with L.A. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez even condemning LA28 Olympics leadership for “doubling down in defense” of its embattled chairman.

“The people of Los Angeles deserve leadership that understands the gravity of these revelations,” she said at the time. “At a moment when public trust is already shaken, doubling down with defensiveness only deepens the concern Angelenos have about accountability at LA28.”

The councilwoman continued: “Recent reporting detailing Casey Wasserman’s documented communications with Ghislaine Maxwell, along with accounts that he has privately minimized the seriousness of these revelations and shifted blame for the fallout, raises serious concerns about accountability at the highest levels of LA28.”

Other local politicians, including L.A. County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn and Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, followed suit by re-iterating their stances that Wasserman should resign from LA28.

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