Mayor Karen Bass is fighting to avoid a deposition in the defamation lawsuit filed by former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley.

Bass's attorneys filed court papers before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kristin S. Escalante, arguing Crowley should not be allowed to depose the mayor or pursue other discovery before a Dec. 3 hearing on Bass's motion to dismiss the case, Westside Current reported.

Bass wants the case thrown out.

She invoked California's anti-SLAPP law, which prevents lawsuits from being used to silence people exercising First Amendment rights. Her attorneys called Crowley's defamation suit "an improper attempt to stifle and punish critical public discourse."

The legal fight centers on statements Bass made during a televised mayoral debate about the LAFD's response to the Palisades Fire. The blaze burned more than 23,000 acres, killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of structures.

Crowley's lawsuit alleges Bass falsely blamed her for sending home 1,000 firefighters and leaving fire trucks out of service before the fire, and for failing to pre-deploy resources in the area.

Nearly 80 discovery requests at issue

Bass's lawyers told the court that Crowley's discovery demands are far from limited. "The `limited' discovery sought by plaintiff is anything but," the filing states, noting Crowley is seeking nearly 80 requests for admission, interrogatories explaining each answer and a deposition of the mayor.

Because Crowley is a public figure, Bass's attorneys argue she must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the mayor spoke with "actual malice." They contend the information Crowley seeks cannot establish that standard.

Bass's lawyers also called it "striking" that Crowley wants to question the mayor on a broad range of topics. They argued the deposition would burden the head of Los Angeles city government while much of the information could be obtained elsewhere.

Crowley's attorneys pushed back in their own court papers, saying the proposed deposition would be limited to Bass's "official duty" defense and state of mind.

Background: removal and two lawsuits

Bass removed Crowley as fire chief on Feb. 21, 2025. Crowley remains with the LAFD as an assistant chief in the Valley Bureau.

Crowley first sued the city on Feb. 20, alleging retaliation in violation of the state Labor Code and California Constitution. The city denies retaliation and has asked a judge to dismiss that case. The dispute centers on whether Crowley was fired for leadership failures or punished for raising concerns about LAFD staffing, equipment and funding.

Crowley filed the separate defamation lawsuit against Bass on June 23. Bass has accused Crowley of leadership failures during the January 2025 windstorm that preceded the fire, saying Crowley declined to prepare an after-action report and failed to deploy 1,000 firefighters who "could have been on duty" when the fire began.

Crowley appealed her removal to the Los Angeles City Council in 2025. The council upheld Bass's decision in a 13-2 vote.

Judge Escalante is set to hear Bass's anti-SLAPP motion on Dec. 3.