Pressure mounted on Tuesday against Casey Wasserman, the head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass publicly stated he should resign. This follows the publication of flirtatious emails from 2003 between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein.
Mayor Bass told CNN, "my opinion is that he should step down," despite Wasserman receiving backing from the LA28 board last week to remain in his position. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), meeting in Milan, has largely deferred to the LA28 board on the matter, though spokesman Mark Adams acknowledged "many conversations happening at this moment."
The controversy has become a distraction for the IOC and has led to fallout for Wasserman's own sports and entertainment agency, which has lost clients and is now being sold. Wasserman has been a key figure in the LA Olympic bid since 2015 and has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein and Maxwell. In a statement, he expressed deep regret for the correspondence, which occurred long before Maxwell's crimes were known.
Mayor Bass emphasized her primary role is to ensure Los Angeles hosts a successful Games, but she does not support the board's decision to retain Wasserman. Both Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom play crucial governmental roles in supporting the logistical execution of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.