With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Ex-deputy LA mayor agrees to plead guilty to making City Hall bomb threat
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Brian K. Williams delivers a speech during the graduation ceremony for LAPD recruit class 11-23 at the Los Angeles Police Academy in Los Angeles on May 3, 2024.
(
Myung J. Chun
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline:
The city of Los Angeles' former deputy mayor of public safety, Brian Williams, has agreed to plead guilty to making a bomb threat against City Hall last year, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Why now: The court filing on Thursday came on the same day Williams was charged with making threats regarding fire and explosives, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The backstory: Prosecutors say Williams falsely claimed someone had called him on Oct. 3 and threatened to bomb City Hall, setting off a search that yielded no suspicious devices. But according to prosecutors, Williams used the Google Voice application on his personal cellphone to call his work cellphone to make the threat, which he then reported to the L.A. Police Department. He then sent text messages to Mayor Karen Bass repeating the false claim. Prosecutors say he never intended to carry out the threat.
Sponsored message
The fallout: In December, the FBI raided Williams' home in Pasadena as part of the investigation. Williams — who was named deputy mayor in 2023 and oversaw the LAPD, L.A. Fire Department and other public safety departments — was then placed on administrative leave and eventually replaced. A statement from Bass' spokesperson, Zach Seidl, on Thursday said: "Like many, we were shocked when these allegations were first made and we are saddened by this conclusion."
What's next: Williams is expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
