Casey Wasserman says he won't resign as LA28 chairman despite mayor urging him to quit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Casey Wasserman hasn't considered resigning as chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics over his appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files despite Mayor Karen Bass urging him to quit.

Asked Wednesday if he had thought about stepping aside and whether he had talked to Bass since her February comments, Wasserman curtly replied, “No and yes.”

Wasserman has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but documents released by the Justice Department revealed that in 2003, he exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, who, years later, would be accused of helping Epstein recruit and sexually abuse his victims.

Wasserman issued a statement in January that said he regretted his correspondence with Maxwell and that it took place “long before her horrific crimes came to light.”

LA28 has said that with help from an outside legal firm, it conducted a review of Wasserman’s past interactions with Epstein and Maxwell, with Wasserman’s full cooperation. It fully backed Wasserman staying on the job.

Wasserman spoke during a news conference at the end of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission's seventh visit to Los Angeles.

“I talk to the mayor weekly, if not more frequently, and our conversations are between us,” he said. “They continue to be thoughtful and productive with a completely shared vision on delivering the greatest Games for the city and our community.”

Bass advanced to a November runoff Tuesday as she fights to stay in City Hall. Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former star of the reality television show “The Hills” with no experience in government, was second in early returns. The Associated Press has not yet called a second candidate to advance to the runoff.

“We're on our fourth presidential administration, so transitions of politics, whether they happen or not, is part of the world we live in,” Wasserman said. “It can't be dependent on the person there. It has to be dependent on the relationship. The elections will be what they may, but we will continue to have working relationships with the teams. Whoever is in the office, we'll deal with.”

LA28 officials are keeping an eye on security and transportation at the World Cup, which begins its monthlong run next week with games across the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover noted the Olympics have been designated a National Special Security Event, while most of the World Cup venues have not.

The difference in being a NSSE event is the federal government makes that designation, which allows for a coordinated security response led by the FBI.

Visa processing delays and strict U.S. immigration policies have created problems for some countries and their fans. Wasserman said LA28 is “deeply engaged” with the State Department.

“Iran is always coming to the Olympics. North Korea is coming to the Olympics. It may be that Russia and Belarus will come back,” he said. “Visas for countries where we don’t have diplomatic relations have been part of our game plan since 2017.”

Next year, tickets for the Paralympics will go on sale, while the torch design and torch relay route as well as the mascots will be announced.

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Nicole Hoevertsz, right, Chair, IOC Coordination Commission for LA28 speaks as Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President listens during a news conference following a three-day visit Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Casey Wasserman, right, LA28 Chairperson and President speaks as Reynold Hoover, LA28 Chief Executive Officer listens during a news conference following a three-day visit Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Members of LA28 and the International Olympic Committee, from left, Jacie Prieto Lopez, Vice President Communications at LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games, Reynold Hoover, LA28 Chief Executive Officer, Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President and Nicole Hoevertsz, Chair, IOC Coordination Commission for LA28, sit during a news conference Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

BOSTON (AP) — Karen Read has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton, alleging misconduct and negligence in the investigation that led to her prosecution in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Bristol County Superior Court argues that Read's acquittal last June revealed “an embedded culture of bigotry, misogyny, systemic failures, and institutional rot at the very core of both organizations.” It alleges that the town and the police department were negligent in the hiring, training and supervision of officers and seeks damages for legal fees, lost income, emotional distress and reputational harm, among other claims.

The complaint reproduces dozens of text messages, recordings and other communications attributed to former state trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton police Sgt. Sean Goode. Among them are messages in which Proctor referred to Read as a “whack job” and wrote that he hoped she would kill herself. The lawsuit also cites messages that it says included use of the n-word and, in one instance, a comment by Proctor that “Hitler was really on to something.”

Read's lawyers argue that those materials show both men were unfit to participate in the investigation and that their conduct reflected broader failures in oversight by state and local law enforcement.

In a statement on Thursday, State Police Superintendent Col. Geoffrey Noble called Proctor’s messages “racist, sexist and abhorrent” and said they supported his decision to fire the former trooper. Noble said the comments did not reflect the values of the department and pointed to changes that have been made since he became superintendent. He also noted that the investigation predated his tenure.

“These disturbing messages are entirely inconsistent with any basic standard of decency and certainly with the expectations of a Massachusetts State Trooper," Noble said, adding that agency officials are, "keenly aware of the ways in which this misconduct harmed the public trust on which our mission depends.”

The town of Canton said it learned of the lawsuit through news reports and a press release from Read’s legal team and had not yet been served with the complaint. The town said it had “the utmost faith and confidence” in Police Chief Michael Daniels and disputed what it described as “broad stroke characterizations” of Canton police officers contained in the lawsuit. Officials said the department has implemented recommendations from an outside audit and is modernizing the agency.

Read walked out of court a free woman about a year ago after more than three years and two trials over the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, who was found on the suburban lawn of a fellow officer’s home after a night of heavy drinking during a snowstorm.

Prosecutors said Read hit O’Keefe with her SUV on the January 2022 night of a party, leaving him to die in a blizzard. Read faced charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene. The jury acquitted her of those charges, but convicted her of a lesser charge for drunken driving.

Her lawyers successfully defended her, painting a sinister picture of police misconduct and theorizing that O’Keefe was in fact killed by colleagues who then covered it up.

The trial centered in part on lead investigator Michael Proctor, whom defense attorneys described as biased against Read from the beginning. The Massachusetts State Police trial board found Proctor guilty of sending crude and defamatory text messages about Read while leading the investigation into her. He was fired and became a central figure for Read supporters who believe the investigation was tainted.

Goode was placed on leave in November 2025 when the town was notified about allegations of misconduct. He resigned earlier this week, according to news outlets.

FILE - Karen Read speaks after she was found not guilty of second-degree murder June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds, File)