Karen Bass

Early life, education, and medical career

Bass was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Wilhelmina (née Duckett) and DeWitt Talmadge Bass. Her father was a letter carrier. She was raised in the Venice/Fairfax neighborhood and went to Hamilton High School. She studied philosophy at San Diego State University (1971–1973), then earned a B.S. in health sciences from California State University, Dominguez Hills (1990).

Bass worked as a physician assistant and as a clinical instructor at the USC Keck School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program. Bass founded Community Coalition, an organization in South Los Angeles.

California Assembly

As the Assemblymember for the 47th District, Bass served the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, View Park-Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia, and portions of Koreatown and South Los Angeles.

In addition to her leadership of California African Americans for Obama and her post on Barack Obama's national African American Leadership Council, Bass served as a California Co-chair of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Leadership prior to speaker election

Speaker Fabian Núñez appointed Bass California State Assembly Majority Whip (2005–2006), and Majority Floor Leader for 2007–2008 legislative session. She was chair of the Select Committee on Foster Care and vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. She succeeded Núñez as Speaker on May 13, 2008; he was termed out of the Assembly November 30, 2008.

As chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, she commissioned a report to research the basic demographic profile of Black Californians including the basic social and economic conditions. The State of Black California report included a statewide organizing effort to involve Black Californians in identifying their concerns and making legislative recommendations.

Speakership

With the defeat of Proposition 93, Speaker Fabian Núñez was termed out of the Assembly at the end of the 2007-2008 session. As the next-highest-ranking Democrat in the Assembly, Bass was well-positioned to take the post. After consolidating the support of a number of Legislators who had previously also been seeking the Speakership, Bass was elected Speaker on February 28, 2008 and then sworn in as Speaker on May 13.

Bass was criticized for the following statement to Los Angeles Times reporter Patt Morrison: "The Republicans were essentially threatened and terrorized against voting for revenue. Now [some] are facing recalls. They operate under a terrorist threat: 'You vote for revenue and your career is over.' I don't know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it's about free speech, but it's extremely unfair."

Since leaving office, Bass was named Speaker Emeritus.

2010

Bass was ineligible to run for reelection in 2010 due to term limits and on February 18, 2010, confirmed her candidacy to succeed retiring U.S. Representative Diane Watson in California's 33rd congressional district.

Bass raised $932,281.19 and spent $768,918.65. Her 2010 campaign contributions came from very different and diverse groups with none donating more than 15% of her total campaign funds. The five major donors to her campaign are Labor Unions with $101,950.00; Financial Institutions with $90,350.00; Health Professionals with $87,900.00; the Entertainment Industry with $52,400.00 and Lawyers and Law Firms with $48,650.00.

Bass won the election with over 86% of the vote on November 2, 2010.

2012

In 2012 she had no primary opponent, and carried the general election with 86%. She raised $692,988.53 and spent $803,966.15, leaving $52,384.92 on hand and a debt of $3,297.59.

Bass was considered a potential running mate for Bernie Sanders, had he won the 2016 Democratic Presidential Nomination. This would've made her the first African-American nominated for Vice President by a major party.

Committee assignments

Political positions

Bass is generally considered a liberal, with ratings of 100% or close from liberal interest group capitol Weekly Positions. Conservative groups like the California Republican Assembly Positions have consistently awarded her a 0%.

Bass is a very strong supporter of gun control. The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund Lifetime Score is an F. The Gun Owners of California Postitons on Gun Rights have also given Bass an F. Congresswoman Bass recently has voted against the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act that would loosen general Gun Control laws. In 2010 while campaigning for Congress Bass supported Expanded Firearm Registration Bill that with other regulations would have made all gun dealers report their sales to the Department of Justice. Bass also supported the Amendment to the Penal Code regarding Firearms of 2010.

Congresswoman Karen Bass voted once in a way that led to the claim that she favors the continuation of militarized local police forces, when in 2014 she voted against the Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) amendment that would have halted the Pentagon's 1033 program.

Bass serves in the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In her website, she supports "working with our NATO allies and within the United Nations". She also attributes significant importance to diplomacy and “create[ing] jobs here in the US." Bass does so through supporting trade protectionism. She voted against the Free Trade Treaty with South Korea and the Trade Promotion Agreements with Colombia and Panama. Bass voted to authorize the United States military to participate in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The measure (H J RES 68) failed 123-295. In 2011, Bass became a co-sponsor of Bill H.R.3261 otherwise known as the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Bass, a social liberal, with Ratings around 100% by pro-gay marriage associations, can also be considered so in her fiscal positions. She has a rating of 10% from the very conservative California Tax Payers Association. However, the more liberal Consumer Federation of California gives her very high rankings. Besides the following positions on Taxing and Spending, she supports stimulus to create jobs.

Bass has been against general Budget-Wide Cuts like Resolution 38, which would reduce spending to 2008 levels. She has also opposed budgets with deep cuts like the 2011 Budget. However, she has supported the H Amendment 16 for Reducing Navy and Air Force Appropriations. She has supported mainly military cuts.

Bass has supported keeping taxes low for the middle class and "tax credits for small businesses to hire new employees". She states that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest should expire because "the wealthy ... don't need these breaks."

Personal life

From 1980 to 1986, Bass was married to Jesus Lechuga. Following their divorce, Bass and Lechuga jointly raised their daughter and four stepchildren together.

Bass suffered the loss of her only child, daughter Emilia Wright, and her son-in-law Michael Wright, in a car accident in 2006.