Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing backlash for her response to mayoral candidate and former reality television star Spencer Pratt, who has been attacking L.A. leaders over alleged mismanagement during the deadly Palisades Fire.

Bass accused Pratt of «exploiting» the tragedy, which he faced personally, to score political points. Pratt, however, pushed back and said he won community awards for his support of the Palisades community during the tragedy that resulted in both his and his families’ homes being burnt down. He said he also knew people who burned alive across the street from his childhood home.

«Honestly, before this, I had never heard of Spencer Pratt,» Bass told MeidasTouch as the former reality star’s anti-Bass ads about her mismanagement during the Palisades began gaining traction online. «The thing I am concerned and feel about him is that I feel like he’s exploiting the grief of people in the Palisades and I just think that’s just reprehensible. That’s the main thing and I think he is about his own celebrity — he’s famous now again.»

The questioner during the interview agreed with Bass throughout the talk, but did concede that the fires were something «top of mind» for California voters. Still, Bass was lauded by the questioner for her experience working in public office during such a major disaster, a tenure Pratt is targeting.

SPENCER PRATT ANNOUNCES LA MAYOR RUN ON ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PALISADES FIRE THAT DESTROYED HIS HOME

«For a longtime politician, I am godsmacked by Karen Bass’ absolute tone deafness in attacking a survivor of the Palisades Fire in this way,» Roxanne Hoge, Chairwoman of the L.A. Republican Party, told Fox News Digital.

«All of Los Angeles is grieving the loss of our once-beautiful and prosperous City under Karen Bass’ and Nithya Raman’s leadership the last 4 years. To accuse Spencer Pratt — who lives in his burned-out lot in a trailer — of ‘exploiting grief’ is a new low,» Elizabeth Barcohana, an attorney and political strategist in Los Angeles, added. «It is only thanks to Pratt that we know why Bass was unprepared for the Palisades Fire, why [Gov. Gavin] Newsom chose to save plants instead of the people who burned alive that day, how the FireAid money disappeared into local NGO coffers instead of going to victims, and what our taxpayer funding that is supposed to be used to reduce homelessness is actually being spent on.»

«Mayor Bass calling Spencer Pratt’s campaign ‘reprehensible’ is the kind of tone-deaf political malpractice that explains exactly why Los Angeles is in crisis. Spencer Pratt lost his home. His parents lost their home. He watched his city burn while his mayor was on a plane to Ghana. That’s not exploitation, that’s lived experience, and it’s the most legitimate credential anyone could bring to this race,» former Trump campaign advisor Janiyah Thomas also told Fox News Digital. «Mayor Bass had the audacity to say she’d never heard of Spencer Pratt, but Angelenos have never forgotten that she cut the fire department’s budget and was absent when their homes were turning to ash.»

LA TIMES OWNER BLAMES MAYOR FOR CUTTING FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AHEAD OF WILDFIRES: ‘COMPETENCE MATTERS’

Meanwhile, Bass said during the MeidasTouch interview that her experience leading the city’s response during the deadly Palisades Fire, in addition to her experience at the federal level in Congress, was exactly why she was a better candidate than Pratt, adding he could use a civics class to understand how government works.

But Bass faced heavy criticism during the fire for being absent, including taking a trip to Ghana as a historic windstorm swept the area ahead of the blaze, for not deploying proper pre-fire resources and enacting around $17.6 million cuts to the city’s fire department ahead of the tragedy.

Bass appeared to blame the fires and their destruction on climate change during the interview, while arguing her experience serving in public office during the disaster is why she should be re-elected. 

DEMS BLAME LA FIRE ON ‘CLIMATE CHANGE’ DESPITE CITY CUTTING FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET

«These fires, it was the worst natural disaster that we experienced in our city — at the root of it, you know, we have to get adjusted to — just like everybody else in the nation — to different weather experiences that we’re not used to because of climate change,» Bass added during the discussion about Pratt and his attacks on her record. «We don’t know hurricanes — I’m born and raised in Los Angeles — to have hurricane-strength winds and actually no rain is odd anywhere but especially Los Angeles.»

Bass’ office referred Fox News Digital to the mayor’s campaign team, but they did not provide any response in time for publication.

A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire while it burns homes at Pacific Coast Highway amid a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

«I’m not sure if Karen Bass forgot she let my house burn down and my parents house burn down and I had actual neighbors burn alive across the street from my childhood home,» Pratt responded on Fox News’ «The Will Cain Show» when asked about Bass’ criticism of him. «The only grief is my grief, my community’s grief that I initially started this fight on behalf of.»

«It’s the most insane, psycho, diabolical thing I’ve heard in a minute – but it’s not shocking,» Pratt added.

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«How the hell is Spencer Pratt ‘exploiting grief’?» Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Sen. John McCain, questioned in a post on X about Bass’ response. «He, his wife, children and parents lost their homes and everything in it in a fire because of Karen Bass and her failed policies.»

«Mayor Bass is in damage control. Bass calling this ‘exploitation’ tells you that she wants sympathy for herself and silence from the actual victims of the fires,» Corrin Rankin, California Republican Party chairwoman, told Fox News Digital. «Californians are tired of Democratic politicians who lack accountability and attack critics. When people lose everything, they have every right to demand answers from the people in charge that failed them.»

El gobierno de Países Bajos confirmó este martes que recibirá a tres pasajeros del crucero MV Hondius que presentan síntomas compatibles con hantavirus, mientras la embarcación, afectada por un brote que ya dejó tres muertos, evalúa retomar su ruta hacia las Islas Canarias una vez completada la evacuación médica.

Según informó en un comunicado la naviera neerlandesa Oceanwide Expeditions, dos de los pacientes requieren atención urgente y serán trasladados junto a una tercera persona considerada contacto estrecho de uno de los fallecidos.

La operación se realizará mediante dos aviones especializados que se dirigen hacia Cabo Verde, donde el barco permanece fondeado en alerta sanitaria.

“Desde allí, los pacientes serán evacuados médicamente a los Países Bajos. Por el momento, no contamos con un cronograma exacto”, precisó la compañía. También confirmó que entre los evacuados hay al menos un ciudadano neerlandés, quien será atendido en su país de origen.

Una vez completado el operativo, el plan de la naviera es reanudar la travesía y dirigirse al archipiélago español de Canarias —con escalas posibles en Gran Canaria o Tenerife— en un viaje estimado de tres días, aunque esa decisión continúa sujeta a negociaciones con autoridades sanitarias internacionales y locales.

En ese contexto, el Ministerio de Sanidad de España confirmó el martes por la tarde que recibirá al MV Hondius en las Islas Canarias “en cumplimiento del derecho internacional y el espíritu humanitario”.

Según detalló en un comunicado, una vez que el buque llegue al archipiélago, equipos médicos examinarán y tratarán a todos los pasajeros y a la tripulación, y coordinarán su posterior traslado a sus países de origen.

“La Organización Mundial de la Salud ha explicado que Cabo Verde no puede realizar esta operación”, señaló el ministerio, que subrayó que las islas son “el lugar más próximo con las capacidades necesarias”. “España tiene una obligación moral y legal de auxiliar a estas personas, entre las que se encuentran además varios ciudadanos españoles”, agregó.

Además, el Gobierno español aceptó la solicitud de Países Bajos para asistir al médico del buque, quien se encuentra en estado grave y será trasladado a Canarias en un avión hospitalizado.

Leé también: El relato de un influencer que viaja en el crucero donde se detectó el brote de hantavirus: “Queremos volver”

El MV Hondius, que había partido desde Ushuaia con destino a Cabo Verde, transporta a 147 personas entre pasajeros y tripulación, de 23 nacionalidades. La embarcación permanece bajo monitoreo tras la detección de casos vinculados al hantavirus que, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), afectaron al menos a siete personas, incluyendo dos confirmaciones por laboratorio.

En paralelo, un equipo de epidemiólogos del organismo internacional tenía previsto evaluar el estado sanitario a bordo para definir los próximos pasos, incluyendo eventuales repatriaciones y la viabilidad de continuar la navegación.

Cómo se desató el brote y quiénes son las víctimas

El primer caso fue el de un pasajero de 70 años, que desarrolló síntomas en pleno viaje y murió en el barco el 11 de abril. Su cuerpo fue trasladado a Santa Elena, territorio británico en el Atlántico Sur.

Su esposa, de 69 años, también enfermó durante la travesía: fue evacuada a Sudáfrica, donde murió en un hospital de Johannesburgo. Según fuentes vinculadas al caso, ambos serían oriundos de Países Bajos.

Un ciudadano alemán murió el 2 de mayo y se convirtió en la tercera víctima fatal del brote. Además, un británico de 69 años fue evacuado a Johannesburgo y permanece en cuidados intensivos.

Qué es el hantavirus y cuáles son los síntomas

El hantavirus es una enfermedad grave que se transmite principalmente a través de roedores, en especial por contacto con su orina, heces o saliva.

En la Argentina, el principal transmisor es el ratón colilargo. En el país circulan distintas variantes del virus, y algunas, como el virus Andes, pueden presentar transmisión interpersonal, aunque el mecanismo más común sigue siendo ambiental.

Los síntomas iniciales del hantavirus suelen confundirse con una gripe: fiebre mayor a 38 grados, dolores musculares, cefalea, náuseas, vómitos y malestar general.

En una segunda etapa, la enfermedad puede evolucionar rápidamente hacia un síndrome cardiopulmonar, con dificultad respiratoria y compromiso hemodinámico.

En la Argentina rige una alerta sanitaria desde hace varias semanas por el aumento de casos y fallecimientos por hantavirus. Las autoridades insisten en la importancia de extremar las medidas de prevención, especialmente en regiones donde circula el virus.

(Con información de AFP y EFE)

A coalition of groups represented by the embattled Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is suing Florida over its new congressional map, arguing that it favors one political party over another.

The 41-page lawsuit was filed by Common Cause, an ethics watchdog; the League of Women Voters of Florida; and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The organizations allege the map violates the Fair Districts Amendment, which prohibits the Republican-controlled state legislature from drawing maps that favor a specific political party.

«The fact that this is a partisan gerrymander is as obvious as it is unconstitutional,» said Bradley Heard, deputy legal director for the SPLC. «And while this unnecessary map is egregious in how it advantages Republicans and disadvantages Democrats, the people who will suffer the most if it is allowed to stand are once again Black and Brown communities, whose voices are consistently silenced in these redistricting battles. The SPLC will not allow this governor to turn back the clock on voting rights in Florida.»

DESANTIS SIGNS FLORIDA REDISTRICTING MAP TO POTENTIALLY FLIP 4 HOUSE SEATS RED

The lawsuit is the second filed in as many days against the new map. The first was filed hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the map into law; the plaintiffs in that suit are the Equal Ground Education Fund, a voting rights group, and 18 Florida voters.

Fox News Digital has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment.

The Fair Districts Amendment was approved by voters in 2010 in an effort to set redistricting standards to prevent partisan gerrymandering, the favoring of political parties, or the reduction in power of minority groups.

«The governor’s ploy to impose maps for an unfair partisan advantage is exactly why voters made it illegal in 2010—and why we’re going to court,» said Amy Keith, the executive director for Common Cause Florida. «This governor and Republican lawmakers will stop at nothing to put their finger on the scale because they are afraid of being held accountable by the people.

«We expect the courts to be the adults in the room and honor the Florida Constitution and the will of Florida voters.»

REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

The lawsuit was the second to be filed after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the map into law. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service, File)

The plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare the map unconstitutional and impose an injunction to prevent state officials from enacting it. Additionally, they want the state to reinstate the previous 2022 congressional map or order the adoption of a completely new redistricting plan that is compliant with the state constitution.

«When a map is distributed in a red/blue format to the media before being transmitted to the legislature, and when the governor’s staff openly acknowledges in committee that there is no new Census data being used to justify a new map, Florida voters can’t help but suspect that this is a partisan gerrymander,» said Jessica Lowe-Minor, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.

The SPLC is one of several groups representing the plaintiffs. The organization currently faces federal charges for allegedly secretly transferring money to extremist groups it claimed to be fighting, with the goal of infiltrating and monitoring their activities.

AL SHARPTON RAGES AT FLORIDA GOV DESANTIS’ IMPRESSION OF HAKEEM JEFFRIES

The SPLC is accused of paying $3 million to people associated with violent extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Movement, and the American Nazi Party — between 2014 and 2023.

Amid the battle over Florida’s redrawing of its congressional map, Democrats have repeatedly decried the move as a GOP power grab.

Currently, Florida Republicans have a 20–8 majority in the House, but the new map could extend the GOP’s power to 24–4 following the redrawing of districts. This shift could impact several Democratic incumbents, including Reps. Darren Soto, Kathy Castor, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Jared Moskowitz.

Nikki Fried, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, said the new map disenfranchises millions of Black, brown, and Jewish voters in the state.

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«This type of voter suppression is nothing new in Florida—from Jim Crow and the Ocoee massacre to election police and the enactment of the most extreme voter suppression laws in the country since 2021, unfortunately, Florida has always been a testing ground for conservative extremism,» she said Monday.