Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is facing renewed scrutiny over her attendance record on the council as she challenges Mayor Karen Bass in this year’s mayoral race.
During a debate last month, Bass told Raman she had “missed several thousand votes because you don’t show up to work.” Raman responded, “Yeah, I mean, we all miss days of council.” She also said Bass had appointed her to “external boards” whose meetings conflicted with City Council sessions, and cited child care obligations and illness as additional factors.
Earlier this year, Raman missed several consecutive weeks of meetings of the City Council’s Homelessness and Housing Committee, which she chaired at the time. She attributed those absences to scheduling conflicts with the Budget Committee.
The attendance issue resurfaced around Raman’s absence from a 2025 council vote on Palisades Fire recovery. On that day, Raman instead attended the unveiling of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for actress Mindy Kaling, citing their shared South Asian heritage as her reason for attending. Kaling has also been a donor to Raman’s campaign.
Raman later visited Pacific Palisades and released a rebuilding plan for the fire-affected area.
Fellow City Councilmember Traci Park criticized Raman’s involvement in the recovery effort, saying, “Nithya Raman never once offered to help, ever.”
Bass has also faced criticism over her own availability during a crisis; she was in Africa when the Palisades Fire broke out.
Raman has drawn support from the Democratic Socialists of America in her mayoral bid.
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