Christopher Webb questions how Raman could invoke Gates-era policing without knowing his record
Christopher WebbDesigner, strategist and political commentator, on Bluesky
Webb questions how Raman could know enough to invoke the gold standard of Gates-era policing without knowing the rest of his record, after Bass said Raman is not really familiar with Los Angeles.
Responding to
Los Angeles was the gold standard in noncooperation with immigration enforcement in the era of Police Chief Daryl Gates.
“She knew enough to invoke the "gold standard" of Daryl Gates policing from 34 to 48 years ago, but knew nothing about the rest?”
Original post
Original video
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Karen Bass demands an apology after Nithya Raman says Los Angeles was the "gold standard" on immigration noncooperation in the Daryl Gates era
In a televised debate on the evening of October 13, 2026, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman said the LAPD under Mayor Karen Bass had reportedly shared data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and that the city "used to be the gold standard" in noncooperation with immigration enforcement "under the era of Daryl Gates", the police chief from 1978 to 1992. At an October 15 news conference with Black community leaders, Bass called it a lie to portray Gates as the gold standard for the city's Latino residents and asked Raman to retract the remark and apologize. Raman called Gates a racist police chief, said she had been describing Special Order 40, the 1979 policy that bars officers from stopping people only to determine their immigration status, and accused Bass of twisting her words to avoid questions about LAPD cooperation with ICE.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Christopher Webb posted this on Bluesky on the evening of October 17, 2026, Pacific time.
Original video
About this source
Raman's campaign posted this short video on October 15, 2026, while Bass was holding her news conference. Raman speaks to the camera about the debate exchange and LAPD cooperation with ICE.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Los Angeles Times report on Mayor Karen Bass's October 15, 2026 news conference about Nithya Raman's debate remark on former LAPD chief Daryl Gates, Raman's video and written responses, and the LAPD's statement on Special Order 40.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Webb begins the post: "If Nithya Raman didn't know about Daryl Gates' history because she's only lived in LA for 13 years, how did she know enough to bring him up in the first place?" Two days earlier, Bass had said Raman is not really familiar with L.A.
After the quotation
The post ends there. In her October 15 video, Raman called Gates a racist, abhorrent, militaristic police chief.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Nithya Raman's statement in the October 13, 2026 debate that Los Angeles used to be the gold standard in noncooperation with immigration enforcement in the Daryl Gates era. Webb treats the remark as a knowing invocation of Gates-era policing and rejects the idea that Raman was unaware of his record, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Challenged characterization; it loses because Webb criticizes the remark itself rather than disputing how it was described.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Nithya Raman
More from this case
Read the full caseNithya Raman says Bass is twisting her words and calls Gates a racist police chief
“Now, instead of answering those questions and ensuring that we can rebuild trust with our law enforcement, Mayor Bass is trying to twist my words. It is completely unacceptable. Let me be very clear. Daryl Gates was a racist, abhorrent, militaristic police chief.”Read statement
Karen Bass calls Raman's Gates remark a lie and asks her to apologize
“My opponent is not really familiar with L.A., especially the Black community”Read statement
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- Title
- Christopher Webb questions how Raman could invoke Gates-era policing without knowing his record
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/6327-webb-questions-how-raman-could-know-enough-to
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The Dispute Index. "Christopher Webb questions how Raman could invoke Gates-era policing without knowing his record". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6327-webb-questions-how-raman-could-know-enough-to