The brother of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is suing the city in connection to the deadly Palisade wildfires that destroyed his family home and allegedly resulted in physical and emotional consequences – as his sister continues to face questions about her culpability in the January 2025 fires.

Kenneth Bass, 78, and his wife filed the lawsuit May 18, alleging they were injured due to smoke inhalation and suffered distress and anguish, according to a story Wednesday in the newsletter LA Material.

The Democrat mayor was the top voter-getter in last week's mayoral primary and will face City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, the second-highest voter-getter, in the November general election. 

Bass initially faced sharp criticism about her having gone on an official trip to Ghana as Los Angeles-area residents were being warned about winds that could spark wildfires, then late over the city fire department's preparedness and response to the fires, in which at least 30 people died and roughly 6,800 structures were destroyed.

The mayor, in the immediate aftermath of the fires, told the Pacific Palisades Community Council about the broad-reaching impact they had on her personally. 

“The loss that you’re going through, I share indirectly," she said. "It’s hit my family too."

After the fire, the Los Angeles Fire Department was to release an after-action report. However, the Los Angeles Times published revelations about the crossover of political agendas and the fire department’s wildfire responses.

According to records by the Times, “two sources with knowledge of Bass’ office said that after receiving an early draft, the mayor told then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva that the report could expose the city to legal liabilities for those failures. Bass wanted key findings about the LAFD’s actions removed or softened before the report was made public, the sources said — and that is what happened.”

Kenneth Bass has stated his support for his sister and donated to her campaign as she seeks reelection, despite the lawsuit.

Bass received 34% of the votes in the June 2 primary while Raman got 29% of the votes. Republican Spencer Pratt received 25.5% of the votes. 

While litigation for the Palisades wildfire is in the beginning stages, lawyers for the city and the Department of Water and Power (DWP) have denied allegations of wrongdoing. 

An April 1 filing offered numerous defenses, one being that the city has some immunity from the claims and that “no negligent or wrongful act” by the city led to the fire damage, also according to L.A. Material.

“Our office remains confident in the City's overall position that it is not liable for these disastrous wildfires,” Ivor Pine, a spokesman for the L.A. City Attorney’s office, told the L.A. Material.