Hard Wire

Mayoral Candidate Comments On BBQ’s

2.3k Views

During last Wednesday’s Los Angeles mayoral debate, Spencer Pratt delivered the kind of response that instantly changes the energy in a room. What started as an attempt by Councilwoman Nithya Raman to frame Pratt and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass as political allies quickly turned into one of the debate’s most talked-about moments.

Raman suggested that Pratt and Bass would somehow prefer facing each other over running against her. Pratt wasted no time shutting that down.


“First off, Mayor Bass and I are definitely not working together,” Pratt fired back. “I blame this person for burning my house and my parents' house and my town and my neighbors down. I am not working with Mayor Bass.”

The audience reaction was immediate, but Pratt kept going. He argued that if he had a choice, he would much rather run against Raman than against a sitting mayor backed by major labor unions and establishment support.


“Do you think it's easier to run against the incumbent mayor with all the unions or a random city council member who's been a failure for 6 years? I would MUCH RATHER run against Councilwoman Raman!”

That exchange landed hard because Raman has already faced growing criticism throughout her time on the city council, especially over homelessness and public safety issues in District 4. One town hall became particularly damaging after residents booed her for comments regarding homeless encampments near schools. Critics accused her of dismissing neighborhood concerns while appearing more focused on defending encampments than addressing crime, drug activity, or fire hazards connected to them.


After the debate, attention shifted to Raman’s appearance on a progressive podcast where she warned that Los Angeles could turn toward “mini-Trumps” and “fascism” if voters did not embrace what she called “real solutions.” Critics immediately pointed out that she never actually explained what those solutions were.

Then came another political headache.

A second debate had reportedly been planned for this week. Karen Bass withdrew first, citing obligations in Sacramento. That would have left Raman alone on stage opposite Pratt. Instead of taking the opportunity, Raman also backed out, fueling criticism that she was unwilling to defend her own record without the mayor present.


At nearly the same time, Raman introduced a proposal asking city officials to examine restrictions on backyard barbecues, fire pits, and open flames during Red Flag Warning days. The idea triggered immediate backlash, especially from residents in the San Fernando Valley where summer heat regularly pushes temperatures into triple digits and outdoor cooking is a normal part of life.

Even fellow Democrat Monica Rodriguez pushed back aggressively.

“The last thing Angelenos need is a ban on hosting a carne asada in their own backyard,” Rodriguez said while introducing a separate motion that stripped the barbecue proposal from Raman’s plan.


The controversy became even more intense because of ongoing concerns surrounding homeless encampment fires in Los Angeles. According to reporting from ABC7, the Los Angeles Fire Department has documented more than 75,000 homeless-related fires since 2020, including nearly 17,000 incidents in 2025 alone. Critics argue that city leadership has spent years minimizing those dangers while focusing heavily on climate change messaging.

That frustration only deepened after audio resurfaced involving resident John Alle and Mayor Bass shortly before the Palisades Fire. Alle says he warned Bass about dangerous wind conditions and the fire risks tied to encampments. Bass’ campaign disputes that characterization, saying the conversation focused on law enforcement activity in MacArthur Park instead.

Previous Fetterman Issues Comments On His Party
Next Senate Parliamentarian Finds Four Parts of Legislation That Needs To Be Reworked