Kamala Harris to swear in Karen Bass as Los Angeles mayor on Sunday

Vice President Kamala Harris will be part of history once more as she swears in former congresswoman Karen Bass as the first Black woman to be elected mayor of Los Angeles.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a Harris staffer said the vice president was “honored to be asked” after Bass requested that she administer her oath of office this weekend, a reference to their prominence as two of California’s most influential Black women.

Harris, a three-time statewide electee who maintains her residence in Los Angeles, became the first Black and South Asian woman to be elected vice president in 2020. Bass, a six-term congresswoman who was also a potential Biden running mate, received more votes than any other mayoral candidate in Los Angeles’ history.

The Bass campaign said the event will take place this Sunday, Dec.11, “to make it easier for Angelenos to attend and to ensure her first day as mayor is dedicated to bringing unhoused Angelenos inside and making our city safer and more livable for all,” according to the L.A. Times.

According to Bass spokesperson Zach Seidl, the ceremony will feature a mix of musical and cultural showcases. A Harris aide indicated she would not make any statements.

In August, Bass received support from Harris and President Joe Biden after outpolling wealthy real estate developer Rick Caruso by 7 percentage points in the June primary. Former President Barack Obama also endorsed Bass, who would have to face Caruso again in the November election. 

Bass and the vice president are not well known to be close personal friends, although they collaborated on policing issues while Harris served in the U.S. Senate.

During Bass’ campaign, Harris made two appearances alongside the congresswoman — at a pre-Election Day rally and at a gathering centered on reproductive rights following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The White House has maintained close ties with Bass and her predecessor, outgoing Mayor Eric Garcetti, the national co-chair of Biden’s 2020 campaign.

In November, a day after her historic victory over Caruso, a former Republican who became a Democrat shortly before entering the mayor’s race, Bass spoke at the headquarters of a women’s philanthropic organization, theGrio previously reported.

She sketched out her plan to overhaul scandal-ridden City Hall and end the out-of-control homelessness crisis while also expressing some relief the competition was over.

“No matter who you voted for, no matter who you are or where you live, I will be a mayor for you,” Bass said, according to theGrio.

“We’re going to solve homelessness,” she added. “We’re going to prevent and respond urgently to crime. And Los Angeles will no longer be unaffordable for working families.”

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