The Rick Caruso billiona developer strongly criticized the leadership of Mayor Karen Bass during the Palisades fire and has not ruled out challenging her in the elections next year.
Meanwhile, Bass allies have pointed to Caruso, painting it as one of several rich right -wing who put together the fire of January 7 and spread the erroneous information about the mayor.
But on Thursday, all that drama was paused. The unique political adversaries, the bass defeated Caruso in 2022, appeared together in a corner bathed in the Sun in Las Palisades to promote a plan to rebuild the local recreation center of property of the city.
Private donations of the Filantropic Group of Caruso Startfast will help you pay the redesign of approximately $ 30 million from the Palisades Recreation Center in Alma Real Drive, which was damaged in the fire. The center expansion had tennis courts, basketball court, a playground and more, and was a popular neighborhood meeting place.
In separate interviews in the event, journalists asked Bass and Caruso about their relationship. Caruso said he thought it was the first time they appeared in public together since they were opponents in the 2022 elections.
Bass went through the questions about the past criticism of Caruso to her, saying that “the goal is to restore and cure this community.”
“It is appropriate that we join in a public-private association, that is the best way to do things,” Bass said. “The government cannot do everything on its own.”
Another important donor for the reconstruction of the Recreation Center is the Strong Sports, a group initiated by the coach of the Lakers JJ Redick, a Palisades resident who trained a youth basketball team in the center. Redick, who also appeared in Thursday's event, said the reconstructed recreation center will be “the cornerstone of this community.”
Even so, the joint appearance of Bass-Caruso attracted the greatest attention, given its rocky history.
In X, User @Therealvalverde wrote: “That's great, JJ Redick helped unite Karen Bass and Rick Caruso!”
Caruso spent more than $ 100 million of his own money on his mayor's offer, but lost to the bass for almost 10 points. In Las Palisades, he obtained more votes than the bass.
Since then, he has not ruled out another political career, even for the governor.
After the fire broke out, it appeared in Fox 11, calling the lack of water that came out of the fire hydrants “an absolute management of the city.” He also pointed out the absence of Bass: the mayor was in Ghana on a diplomatic trip.
Since then, Caruso has used social networks to request independent investigation into the fire and continue with the bass. Last month, he accused her of using the word “discomfort” to describe destroyed houses.
Bass allies have argued that it is under attack of “rich oligarchs”, including Caruso and Nicole Shanahan, a Trump supporter who is helping Bankroll a campaign to remember her. (Caruso opposes retirement effort).
In Thursday's event, Caruso said he is Bass's friend and that they have been known for 30 years. He said he visited the bass in the town hall about six months after the 2022 elections.
Given his recent attacks on Bass leadership, Caruso was asked what he thinks of his work so far.
“I think he's trying. I would like to see, and I know that residents would like to see, it happened more,” he said.
In more general terms, he said, the city needs to press the owners of commercial buildings to eliminate the remains of fires that remain in their properties.
For his part, Bass said that the city is on the way to one of the fastest fire recoveries in California. Compared to Woolsey and Camp's fires, “we are going on months and months,” he said.
More than a dozen residents of Palisades, including Jessica Rogers, president of the Pacific Palisades Residents Association, attended Thursday's event. Rogers approached Caruso and thanked him for appearing next to Bass, urging him to continue his relationship with the city.
“It is very important that our community see it in line with the mayor and work together as a team,” he said.
