LA Mayor Karen Bass says Casey Wasserman should 'step down' from LA28 amid Epstein files

Bass' comments come after flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell were released in Epstein files

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called on Casey Wasserman to step down as chairperson of LA28, the organising committee for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, amid ongoing backlash over his inclusion in recently released Epstein files.

Bass made her stance clear in a recent interview, saying she “cannot fire him, but I have an opinion. And my opinion is that he should step down,” stressing that while the decision rests with the LA28 board, she disagrees with the organisation’s choice to keep Wasserman in place.

“The board made a decision. I think that decision was unfortunate,” Bass said, adding that she believes the leadership of the Olympic organising committee should be reconsidered in light of the controversy. “I do think that we need to look at the leadership,” she continued, while also emphasizing her primary focus remains on preparing the city to host a successful games.

Bass’s comments follow weeks of pressure on Wasserman after newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents included flirtatious emails he exchanged in 2003 with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Wasserman has publicly expressed regret over the correspondence and denied any personal or business relationship with Epstein, stating those interactions occurred long before their crimes were known. Despite this, public and political criticism has mounted, with several Los Angeles city council members and county officials also calling for his resignation.

The LA28 board’s executive committee conducted a review, involving outside counsel, and concluded that Wasserman’s past interactions with Maxwell and Epstein did not extend beyond what had already been made public and that his leadership should continue. Still, many critics say the controversy threatens trust in the organising committee ahead of the 2028 Games.

Wasserman also announced plans to sell his talent and marketing agency amid the fallout, telling staff he felt he had “become a distraction.” High‑profile clients, including prominent athletes and recording artists, have already left the agency or called for his departure.

Bass’s call for Wasserman’s resignation marks a significant escalation in the controversy, aligning political voices with broader public unease over his continued role in one of the city’s most high‑profile global projects.