House Judiciary Committee Report on FireAid Funds
A report released on Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee claims that funds raised by FireAid, meant to support victims of last year’s severe fires in Palisades and Eaton, were misallocated to various unrelated causes.
According to the report, over $100 million collected for fire victims was diverted towards administrative expenditures, support for undocumented immigrants, and grants to podcasters and nonprofit organizations.
“This report, which is based on internal documents obtained by the committee, outlines how FireAid, a group created to provide direct assistance to wildfire survivors in Southern California, misused donations intended for those affected by the fires, contributing instead to left-leaning initiatives and coverage of administrative costs,” the committee stated.
The organization had promised that funds would assist fire victims, but the committee’s findings indicated a different story. FireAid defended itself by claiming it lacks the capability to make direct payments to individuals, insisting that all donations are meant for direct relief and should not be allocated for administrative costs.
The report found that approximately $75 million went to 188 nonprofit organizations, noting that FireAid “gave grants prioritized for illegal immigrants.” For instance, a group called Community Organization Relief Operations (CORE) received $250,000 and had identified “illegal immigrants” as a priority demographic due to their risks of instability and hardship.
Additionally, the Altadena Talks Foundation, which raises money for podcasters discussing wildfires, received $100,000 from the fund.
The report raised concerns about whether the FireAid funding effectively supported wildfire victims directly.
As detailed by the California Charter School Association (CCSA), around $500,000 was allocated for various nonprofits’ administrative costs, including grants to four charter schools for their operational recovery, such as renting temporary facilities and securing classroom gear. However, records revealed these funds were sometimes used to cover salaries, with notable payments made to certain educational institutions.
Moreover, the report named five other organizations that allegedly misused FireAid grants for payroll expenses, listing amounts tied to various nonprofits.
