Firefighters’ Union Leader Takes Legal Action Against Mayor Karen Bass Over Alleged Retaliation
Freddy Escobar Sues Mayor Karen Bass Over Allegations of Retaliation
Freddy Escobar, the suspended president of the Los Angeles firefighters’ union, has initiated legal action against Mayor Karen Bass and the city of Los Angeles. The lawsuit alleges that Bass orchestrated a “campaign of retaliation” in response to Escobar’s public opposition to her decisions, particularly regarding the dismissal of former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley.
Escobar was suspended from his position in 2025 following a forensic audit that uncovered extensive undocumented expenditures amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars within the union. The International Association of Fire Fighters, the overseeing body of the LAFD union, revealed that between 2018 and 2024, Escobar had made over 1,300 credit card transactions totaling more than $230,000 without proper documentation.
Although the lawsuit does not directly address the credit card misuse allegations, Escobar disputes claims of excessive overtime payments, asserting that his overtime was "ordinary and fully consistent with department policy in a chronically understaffed agency." He argues that statements from the Mayor’s Office were strategically crafted to undermine his credibility by framing his overtime earnings as potentially corrupt.
According to the lawsuit, the 36-year veteran of the LAFD contends that Bass used her authority to wage a "public smear campaign" against him due to his vocal advocacy regarding staffing shortages within the department and his objection to Crowley’s termination.
Escobar claims that in a meeting at City Hall on January 10, 2025, shortly before Crowley’s dismissal, Bass confronted him about his public statements on the LAFD’s funding challenges. He describes her inquiry, “When are you going to stop?”, as a coercive demand for him and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) to cease their advocacy work.
In his lawsuit, Escobar asserts that the actions of Bass and city officials infringed upon his rights to free speech, harmed his professional reputation, and caused emotional distress. He is seeking compensatory damages that include lost earnings and legal fees.
Requests for comments from Mayor Bass’s office have been made.
