Three major power companies in California—Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Southern California Edison (SCE), and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)—are currently dealing with several lawsuits related to wildfires, and they share one notable feature: contributions to the Democratic Party.
LADWP and SCE have faced legal issues connected to wildfires in Los Angeles County that occurred in January, while PG&E was linked to the devastating Paradise Fire in 2018. Public records indicate that these companies, along with their affiliates, have supported Democratic campaign efforts, including those of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, among others.
PG&E, under scrutiny in light of its wildfire connections, has been criticized for its financial backing of California Democrats in recent years. A report highlighted that Newsom and his wife received more than $700,000 from PG&E and its employees over two decades. Furthermore, PG&E contributed $250,000 for Newsom’s Proposition 1 related to mental health, according to state finance records.
Additionally, Bass received $1,000 from PG&E during her tenure as a state representative from 2017 to 2019. While PG&E has supported some Republican candidates, most of its political donations are directed toward Democrats.
SCE’s parent company, Edison International, is another significant donor to the state’s Democratic Party. For instance, during Newsom’s campaign for governor in 2018, they contributed $73,900. A spokesperson for Newsom stated that his policy decisions are based on merit alone.
Although no direct contributions from LADWP have been recorded, its board chairman, Richard Katz, has a long history of supporting Democratic candidates. He has donated over $15,000 to ActBlue since 2009 and also supported Newsom’s 2013 lieutenant governor campaign.
In 2018, the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, resulted in 85 fatalities and extensive property damage, costing roughly $12.5 billion. PG&E faced significant legal and financial consequences due to this event, agreeing to pay $1 billion to various local governments for losses related to that fire as well as other wildfires. In June 2020, PG&E pleaded guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter related to the Camp Fire, further entailing hefty fines and costs.
More recently, California experienced severe wildfires, including the recent destructive events in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena regions. Victims of the Altadena fire have filed lawsuits against SCE, claiming that the company’s operations contributed to the fire’s ignition, countering earlier claims attributing the fires mainly to climate change.
LADWP has likewise faced legal challenges. Victims have recently accused the utility of misleading communications regarding its role in the fires. Attempts to secure comments from both Edison and PG&E were unsuccessful.
