LA Council Approves Review of Wasserman's Epstein Ties

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a resolution by a 12-0 vote urging organizers of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games to conduct a thorough review of LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman's past associations with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, amid growing concerns over his leadership role.

The measure, introduced by Councilmember Monica Rodriguez and seconded by Councilmember Imelda Padilla, expresses unease about potential conflicts between Olympic values of integrity and accountability and Wasserman's documented ties to Epstein, the financier who died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, and Maxwell, his associate convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The resolution calls for a transparent examination of Wasserman's involvement in related investigations but stops short of demanding his resignation. It also urges the LA28 Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee to ensure all leaders embody the Olympic movement's principles of respect for all people. Three council members, Bob Blumenfield, Curren Price, and Adrin Nazarian, were absent from the...