Nithya Raman Plans Major Shifts in LA Olympic Leadership if Elected Mayor

Nithya Raman will oversee the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games as mayor if she defeats Karen Bass on Nov. 3.

She would become the third mayor to manage the event and the first to have previously criticized the host deal. In 2020, Raman told the Democratic Socialists of America L.A. chapter that she opposed Los Angeles hosting the Games, calling the original agreement rushed and lacking public input.

Raman has outlined a plan to alter the city’s approach to the event. She intends to increase pressure on the private organizing committee, LA28, to disclose more financial information. She also plans to change leadership on several key city bodies, including the Board of Police Commissioners, the Metro Board, and potentially the LA28 board of directors.

The fate of Police Chief Jim McDonnell is a central point of contention. Bass nominated McDonnell in 2024, and Raman voted to confirm him. However, Raman stated she will replace the chief if elected, citing her criticism of LAPD’s response to federal immigration enforcement. She has not specified if this change would occur before the Games. The mayor cannot fire the chief directly but appoints the Board of Police Commissioners, which holds that power. Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Haynes Foundation, noted that new mayors typically do not appoint chiefs to second terms. McDonnell’s five-year term expires at the end of 2029.

During a debate on NBC4 and Telemundo 52, Raman said any decision on the police chief would depend on conversations with other decision-making bodies. She promised that no decision as mayor would put Angelenos in danger. Bass countered that Raman did not understand the complexity of the transition, noting that the city is 640 days away from the event. Bass argued that finding a new chief now would send the department into disarray. The U.S. Secret Service leads security but works closely with LAPD, which estimated its policing costs for the Games would exceed $730 million.

Raman also aims to reshape the L.A. Metro Board of Directors, which oversees the 28 by 28 transit initiative and the temporary Olympic bus system. Bass currently chairs the board and will hold that position through June 2027. Raman could replace three mayoral appointees: Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Imelda Padilla, and Katy Yaroslavsky. She said she wants to use those seats to push Metro toward high-impact transit investments. Alissa Walker, a mega-events expert, noted that mayoral influence on Metro allows for the acceleration of infrastructure projects, citing former Mayor Eric Garcetti’s 28 by 28 plan.

The mayor has direct influence on the LA28 board of directors, where the city holds six seats appointed without council approval. Raman could encourage the City Council to require regular reports from these members. The city also serves as the financial backstop for the Games. Raman was one of four council members to vote against the city’s reimbursement agreement with LA28 earlier this year, arguing it left taxpayers exposed to unexpected costs. If elected, she could support City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who subpoenaed LA28 this month for financial documents. Raman said she would appoint an experienced financial executive to oversee the City’s Olympic costs in her first 100 days.