Karen Bass, Nithya Raman force cancellation of LA mayoral forum by pulling out

Pat Brown Institute organizers said on Monday that the Wednesday event would no longer be moving forward in the wake of the top three candidates in the race saying they would not be appearing.

On Monday, Nithya Raman said that she would not be going, coming after Bass pulled out the week prior and Pratt saying earlier he would not be able to attend due to a scheduling conflict. The two candidates remaining would have been activist Rae Huang and businessman Adam Miller.

"With only two candidates remaining, the event partners have agreed not to proceed," a spokesperson for the Pat Brown Institute and the League of Women Voters said.

Raman’s campaign told the New York Post, "We’re disappointed that Mayor Bass cancelled her participation in the debate. We welcome opportunities for debates with all the candidates in the future." Bass had withdrawn on Friday, saying she would be traveling to Sacramento to seek funding for homelessness and fire recovery efforts.

A statement from the Pat Brown Institute and the League of Women Voters on Bass’ cancellation read, "Mayor Bass’ withdrawal is disappointing. Public forums such as this are a cornerstone of democratic accountability. These forums provide voters with the opportunity to hear candidates share their perspectives, respond to questions, and engage with one another on issues facing Los Angeles."

In the May 6 mayoral debate, the candidates sparred over homelessness, wildfires, and public safety. Raman accused Bass and Pratt of focusing attacks against each other during the debate, saying, "They want to run against each other." Pratt replied, "If I wanted to run against anybody, it would be the councilmember who is terrible."

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