After the palisade fire broke out in January, the head of the powerful firefighting crew, Freddy Escobar, quickly went to the news and continued to say what he always had: The Los Angeles Fire Department was based under them.
With millions around the world paying attention to the tragic situation in Los Angeles, Escobar had a much larger audience than last month, when he made the same points at a meeting that had been on the board of fire.
“The fire chief doesn’t have the money to staff the necessary resources. “Unfortunately, everything was lined up for disaster.”
But Eskobar is now suing the administration for his comments about the department — which he thought was safe from the height of Los Angeles firefighters — led to an investigation by Mayor Karen Bass.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, right, and Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Creareley address the media at a press conference in January.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The city has 45 days to respond to the claim before Escobar can file a lawsuit. The LAFD declined to comment on “unity-related matters.” The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ESCOBAR, a 30-year veteran of the fire department, has continued UFRAC since 2018. Months after the fires after the union trust behind his Union Credit Card, worth $230,466 – No supporting documents.
He also came under scrutiny from the media and the fire department after it was revealed that he was making more than $500,000 in 2022 in Union Pay and additional firefighting work – about 78 hours of work per week.
But EskoBar said in his Ofter that the investigation in its overtime period was calculated as retaliation by the Mayor’s office for his criticism during the fires.
The Mayor called Escobar to City Hall on Jan. 10 Talking about the chief of the chief of Kristin Crealey, Escobar wrote in the bag.
Crowley, like Escobar, has been critical of the mayor and the level of fire department funding found in the lead up to the two fires. The chief says the city of Los Angeles failed him and the department.
At the meeting, Bass asked the union leader if he supported Crowley and why he continued to complain about the fire department’s performance, according to Escobar.
The mayor “expressed displeasure with those statements,” Escobar said in a statement.
Crowley and the rest of the Mayor’s staff joined what Escobar called an “intense” meeting, where both were asked about their views on the media.
“From their testimony and testimony, Escobar understood that his statements had offended the mayor,” the lawsuit said.
While he thought Choneley was fired, Escobar still believed he was secure in his position.
Former Los Angeles native Kristin Crearey is being held by a firefighter after the Palisades Fire.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Croneley was fired from a top position in the fire department, but Escobar continued to run the union.
After months, the times were working on the story about Escobar for many hours in Escobar and paid.
Escobar said in his obituary that he ‘enjoyed a reputation for a strong work ethic,’ and that he often volunteered overtime at some of the city’s leading fire stations.
Escobar said the Fire Department has always responded to questions about overtime by saying that there were many opportunities for overtime due to the lack of workers.
“However, the Mayor’s office intervened,” said Escobar in an administrative situation.
ESCOBAR said the mayor’s staff has instructed the Fire Department to say they are launching a “complete review and investigation” of the Union department’s overtime procedures.
Escobar said the update never happened and that the statement was made to make him look corrupt. The fire department did not immediately say when the review was completed.
“These actions were part of a wider pattern of retaliation against Escobar by the Mayor and other officials… By exercising his constitutional and legal rights and engaging in security operations,” he said.
About a week after the additional story, Escobar was suspended from his position at the union for his use of credit cards.
He did not mention the credit card issues in the lawsuit against the city.
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