Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is facing growing scrutiny over her deletion of text messages during the devastating January wildfires, joining Mayor Karen Bass in drawing criticism for recordkeeping practices during a critical public emergency.
Barger, who represents areas impacted by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, has acknowledged that her iPhone is set to auto-delete messages every 30 days and that she occasionally deletes texts manually. Her office confirmed the practice in response to a public records request, after Barger had publicly stated she was in communication with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on Jan. 7, when the fires erupted.
But when the Los Angeles Times submitted a records request for those messages, Barger’s office was unable to provide any written correspondence. Similarly, Mayor Bass’s office initially claimed messages were deleted but has since used forensic tools to recover the texts following public outcry.
Critics say the lack of transparency undermines public trust, especially during high-stakes emergencies. While the county’s record retention policy does not explicitly address text messages, it requires routine administrative records to be preserved for two years. California’s public records law applies to texts if they pertain to official business, although some may be exempt from disclosure.
The other four L.A. County supervisors reportedly do not use the auto-delete function on their phones.
As calls grow louder for reform, the controversy has reignited debate about digital recordkeeping standards for public officials in Los Angeles, with lawmakers and watchdog groups calling for stronger guidelines to ensure public access to government communications in future crises.
