Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced heavy criticism online after she visited the scene of a fatal news helicopter crash in Chatsworth, California, and shared photographs of herself with firefighters. Critics called the move a "poor taste" photo opportunity, with many drawing unflattering comparisons to her widely criticised absence during the 2025 Palisades wildfires, when she was in Ghana. The backlash comes at a sensitive moment, with Bass locked in a tight re-election battle.

The helicopter crash, involving a NewsChopper4 aircraft that went down near a separate bus collision, killed NBC reporter Eliana "Eli" Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and an unidentified pedestrian. Bass posted on X that she was "receiving updates" from firefighters and thanked first responders, prompting accusations that she was exploiting the tragedy for publicity. She is contesting the 3 November general election against City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who led Bass 32% to 28% in a May poll; the pair have also clashed publicly over attendance records and Bass's $400 million homelessness programme, Inside Safe.