L.A. County Supervisor Urges Casey Wasserman to Step Down from Olympic Committee
Calls for Resignation of LA 2028 Olympics Chair After Controversial Emails
A prominent Los Angeles official has demanded the resignation of LA 2028 Olympics committee chair Casey Wasserman following the emergence of inappropriate emails exchanged with convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn articulated her concerns during a press conference on Tuesday, stating, “I think Casey Wasserman needs to step down. Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028.” Hahn, whose district includes various southern coastal neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, is actively involved with the LA28 Olympics organizing committee.
Wasserman and other key officials from the LA 2028 committee are currently in Italy attending meetings related to the upcoming Winter Olympics. A representative for Wasserman did not respond promptly to a request for comment.
Hahn’s remarks come in light of investigative files released last week by the Justice Department, which include personal emails exchanged between Wasserman and Maxwell over 20 years ago. The emails, dated March and April 2003, reveal Wasserman’s comments about wanting a massage and expressing interest in seeing Maxwell in a tight leather outfit. In these communications, Maxwell offers to provide a massage that she asserts could "drive a man wild," and both express feelings of missing each other.
In response to the controversy, Wasserman issued a statement expressing regret for the correspondence. He noted that the interactions occurred “long before her horrific crimes came to light.” He emphasized, “I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
In 2024, the Daily Mail reported on Wasserman’s alleged extramarital affairs during his marriage to Laura Ziffren, which he has denied.
The fallout from these revelations raises significant questions about Wasserman’s leadership role in the LA 2028 Olympics, especially as the committee focuses on preparing for the global event and ensuring a positive representation for Los Angeles on the world stage.
