'The Issue Is' Exclusive: Rep. Karen Bass talks home break-in, stolen guns

This week, an unexpected turn in the race for Los Angeles Mayor.

The home of front-runner Karen Bass was broken into, the suspects, now in police custody, taking off with nothing but two guns belonging to the Congresswoman.

In her first on-camera comments about the burglary, Bass sat down with Elex Michaelson for an exclusive interview on The Issue Is.

Bass, currently leading opponent Rick Caruso by roughly 12-points heading into November, addressed the ordeal, how her previous feelings of safety were "shattered," and criticism that her firearms were not properly stored.

This, before she discussed the hot-button issue of abortion, her recently-passed legislation helping victims of human trafficking, and strategy heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Michaelson is also joined on The Issue Is this week by Dennis Prager, the conservative broadcaster and co-founder of the non-profit PragerU.

Prager discusses the Republican party’s place in deep blue California and takes viewers behind the scenes of PragerU, which has become one of the most successful conservative content organizations in the country with more than a billion views.

THE ISSUE IS: THE BURGLARY AT THE HOME OF CONGRESSWOMAN BASS

REP. BASS’ CENTRAL TAKE: "Well, I came home one evening to see my house in disarray, and it was very traumatic… [the guns] were registered. They were locked in a safe box. And they were stashed away in a closet… you know, Angelinos all around the city are not feeling safe, and I did feel safe until my safety was shattered like so many Angelinos…

I don't know that it makes me think any different, because I thought from the beginning that the number one job of the mayor is to make sure that Angelinos are safe. In many neighborhoods, people don't feel safe, they would like to see an increased presence of police officers. My position then, and my position no, is that for those neighborhoods that want to see an increased presence, then the quickest way to get officers on the street is to get them from behind the desk. It takes a long time to hire - we definitely need to hire - but we need to get officers on the street as fast as possible…"

THE ISSUE IS: GUN CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP

REP. BASS’ CENTRAL TAKE: "I had guns for personal safety, as do many people. I think that gun control is extremely important, but I have never believed that people, if they wanted to have guns, should not have them… My guns were registered. They were stored properly in a safe box. That's my response…"

THE ISSUE IS: ABORTION RIGHTS

REP. BASS’ CENTRAL TAKE: "I know that Angelenos care about this issue, and I have supported, as a woman, a woman's right to choose my entire life. And so the difference between [myself and Rick Caruso] will be clear: someone who has always stood for a woman's right to choose and a woman's right and access to abortion versus someone who has recently come into that position... That is why it is so important that we pass this proposition that voters will have an opportunity to vote on - I believe it will be Proposition 1 - and that will enshrine a woman's right to choose in our state constitution. What Lindsey Graham proposed doing yesterday makes it all the more important, gives a sense of urgency, because we know we have the right to choose in California, but if we learned anything from the last administration, the Trump administration, you can't take anything for granted. I mean, for 50 years we've had this right, it was taken away from us, so we cannot just say 'this is California, we don't have to worry about it,' that's why we have to all go out and vote…"

THE ISSUE IS: SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

REP. BASS’ CENTRAL TAKE: "The President, hopefully, will sign it any day... It basically provides resources for human trafficking victims, and this is an issue that I've worked on for many, many years. I had another bill pass out of the House on human trafficking as well, so this one adds to it and it provides resources, financial resources to those community organizations who do the work, supporting victims as well as the victims themselves…"

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THE ISSUE IS: RICK CARUSO, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN?

REP. BASS’S CENTRAL TAKE: "I think [Caruso] is the GOP's choice. I think that he has been a Republican the majority of his life. He's flipped back-and-forth, and I think when one flips back-and-forth, you do have to wonder exactly who they are… This is a Democratic city. So, 60% of the voters in Los Angeles are Democrats. But even more important than that, if you want to solve the issues of our city, we have a democracy, you have to work with the people who are elected in office, and they are Democrats. So that's why I am proud of the fact that I have support from the elected officials on every level of government, and I systematically pursued their endorsement because everybody that has endorsed me will be a decision maker in the most important issues in Los Angeles. So you can disparage those people who are in office and who make decisions, but then how are you going to work with them?…"

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The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show. For showtimes and more information, go to TheIssueIsShow.com.