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LA28 - Los Angeles is already facing a credibility test it cannot afford to fail. As the city braces for a potentially massive fiscal shortfall tied to hosting the 2028 Olympic Games, residents are asking a basic question: can City Hall manage an event of this scale when it struggles to manage trust?
Now that question has become unavoidable.
Recent reporting has raised serious and troubling questions involving Casey Wasserman, the unelected chair of LA28. No court has ruled. No verdict has been reached. But the nature of the allegations alone combined with Wasserman’s role as the public face of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles demands a response grounded in integrity and accountability.
Instead, what we have witnessed is near total silence.
Only a small handful of city and county officials have publicly called for Wasserman to step aside while the matter is addressed. The rest those who routinely speak about ethics, transparency, and accountability have chosen to say nothing at all.
That silence is the scandal.
For years, Los Angeles leaders have insisted that allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein must be taken seriously, particularly when they involve political figures they oppose. We have been told repeatedly that leadership requires moral clarity, that public trust is fragile, and that those in positions of power must be held to the highest standards even in the absence of formal charges.
Those principles do not disappear when the individual involved is politically connected, wealthy, or insulated by influence.
This is not about presuming guilt. It is about fitness to lead during a moment when credibility matters more than ever. The Olympic Games are not a private branding exercise. LA28 is a public-facing institution backed by public infrastructure, public resources, and enormous public risk. Its leadership must be beyond reproach, not merely legally defensible.
The optics alone are damaging. Los Angeles is asking taxpayers to shoulder cost overruns, accept service tradeoffs, and trust assurances that the Games will be delivered responsibly. At the same time, the city’s Olympic leadership is mired in controversy, and elected officials appear unwilling to confront it.
That contradiction erodes confidence.
If Wasserman remains in place while serious questions swirl, the message to Angelenos is unmistakable: accountability is selective. Power protects itself. Standards apply only when convenient.
That message is unacceptable.
Los Angeles is preparing to welcome the world in 2028. The Olympic Games are supposed to showcase the city’s values fairness, integrity, transparency, and leadership. If the city cannot even ask its Olympic chair to step aside pending resolution of serious concerns, then it signals a profound failure of governance.
This is also an election year. Voters should pay close attention to who is willing to speak up and who is choosing political safety over principle. Leadership is not measured by press releases or talking points; it is revealed in moments of discomfort when silence carries a cost.
Temporary removal is not a conviction. It is a safeguard. It protects the institution, preserves public trust, and demonstrates that Los Angeles takes ethical responsibility seriously. Refusing to act does the opposite it invites cynicism, suspicion, and global embarrassment.
If Casey Wasserman is not asked to step aside as chair of LA28, that decision will tell Angelenos everything they need to know about the values guiding this effort and the officials entrusted with oversight.
Los Angeles deserves better than quiet avoidance.
The Olympic Games demand better than political calculation.
If silence is the city’s answer, then the damage will not be limited to one individual it will define the legacy of LA28 itself.
For the sake of credibility, integrity, and public trust, Casey Wasserman must go.
(Mihran Kalaydjian is a seasoned public affairs and government relations professional with more than twenty years of experience in legislative affairs, public policy, community relations, and strategic communications. A respected civic leader and education advocate, he has spearheaded numerous academic and community initiatives, shaping dialogue and driving reform in local and regional political forums. His career reflects a steadfast commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service across Los Angeles and beyond.)
(Jay Handal is a veteran community advocate and longtime CityWatch contributor who plays a central role in holding Los Angeles City Hall accountable. He serves as treasurer of the West LA–Sawtelle Neighborhood Council. With decades of grassroots organizing and civic leadership, Jay is a relentless voice for transparency, fiscal reform, and empowering neighborhoods to challenge waste, mismanagement, and backroom decision-making at City Hall.)
