LA mayor's office silent on deputy who was in charge of fire dept., placed on leave for alleged bomb threat

As wildfires wreaked devastation crossed Los Angeles, the metropolis authoritative successful complaint of the occurrence section was retired of the representation – placed connected administrative permission successful December portion helium remains nether probe for an alleged weaponry menace against City Hall earlier this year.

LA Deputy Mayor Brian Williams’ Pasadena, California location was raided by the FBI past period successful transportation to the probe of a weaponry menace which was made against City Hall successful September. The Los Angeles Police Department referred the lawsuit to the FBI aft it determined Williams was apt the "source of the threat," FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.  

"Due to the department’s moving narration with Mr. Williams, the probe was referred to the FBI," the LAPD said successful a connection astatine the time. "The FBI remains the investigating agency."

Embattled Mayor Karen Bass' bureau said Williams was placed connected administrative permission instantly aft the FBI notified the politician of the search. That happened 3 weeks earlier the fires erupted successful Los Angeles County, scorching astir 4 quadrate miles of municipality area, according to the Associated Press.

LA DEPUTY MAYOR PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER FBI RAIDS HOME FOR ALLEGEDLY MAKING BOMB THREAT

The Palisades and Eaton Fires are inactive burning, though heroic efforts by firefighters and calming winds person greatly reduced the complaint of spread. At slightest 27 radical person been killed and much than 12,000 buildings and homes destroyed successful the blazes. The fires are apt to beryllium among the astir destructive successful California history, the authorities occurrence bureau CalFire said.

When the archetypal flames ignited, Bass, 71, was overseas connected a diplomatic ngo to Ghana. She was portion of a delegation President Biden sent to the African federation for the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. She hurried location connected a subject level soon aft quality of the occurrence exigency reached her, but she did not instrumentality to Los Angeles for a afloat 24 hours aft catastrophe struck.

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Her archetypal lack has prompted harsh disapproval from LA residents, who are questioning Bass' enactment amid the crisis. In that context, her determination to enactment Williams connected administrative permission is besides nether caller scrutiny.

The Los Angeles mayor's bureau did not respond to requests for comment.

Bass appointed Williams to beryllium lawman politician successful February 2023 and charged him with overseeing nationalist information successful the city.

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Williams was placed successful complaint of the city's constabulary department, occurrence department, the Port of Los Angeles Police, the Los Angeles World Airport Police and the city's Emergency Management Department, section quality presumption KABC reported. Williams antecedently served 7 years arsenic the enforcement manager of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission. 

He besides served arsenic lawman politician nether Mayor James Hahn, during which clip helium oversaw the Department of Transportation, Public Works and Information Technology Agency.

Williams' lawyer Dmitry Gorin did not instantly respond to a petition for comment. 

Gorin antecedently released a connection denying that his lawsuit had thing to bash with the weaponry menace made against City Hall.

"Mr. Williams powerfully maintains his innocence and intends to vigorously combat the allegations. Importantly, helium has not been arrested, nor charged, and volition proceed cooperating with the probe done attorneys. He has a lengthy vocation of nationalist work and is presumed guiltless of these allegations. We impulse the nationalist to let the probe process to play retired and not to prejudge the facts of this lawsuit earlier they are known," Gorin said past month.

The FBI did not respond to a petition for comment.