Southern California district lawyers have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand price gouging protections to further support wildfire victims, calling it a “governor layup.”
“So this seems easy to me,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. “I think the governor would absolutely want to protect fire victims if they are trying to find homes in surrounding counties.”
Democrat Newsom issued an executive order for rapid pursuit temporary housing assistance to those evacuated by a wildfire in Southern California in Los Angeles County in mid-January. California Attorney General Rob Bonta also said at the time that his office would prosecute people who hold prices amid natural disasters.
Important phone numbers for Los Angeles area residents and how you can help them
“This is a governor's layup, so this seems easy to me,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. (Mark RightMire/Medianews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
“As California's top law enforcement officer, I describe those who are trying to spend right away from their most vulnerable neighbors,” Bonta said in a mid-January X post, accompanied by a video statement.
Spitzer, along with Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestlin, San Bernardino District Attorney Jason Anderson, and Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrenock, urged the governor to expand price gouging protections to surrounding areas in late January. I sent the newspaper to the governor, and they said, but have not heard a response from the governor yet.
The Malibu man thankes the firefighters who saved his home from the LA wildfire: “We set fire through that door.”
“For now, we need an emergency declaration to claim price gouging in California,” Spitzer said. “There are no emergency declarations for the county right now.”
Savrnoch and Spitzer told Fox News Digital in a statement that his office has not yet heard from the governor.
Palisade, Eton fire in Southern California is 100% included, officials say
“We have made this request to prevent the owners of rental property from exacerbating the tragedy imposed on those who are already suffering from losing their property and being forced to uproot their lives. We did it,” Savrnoch said in a statement. “We are trying to prevent people from benefiting from the suffering of others. I have not yet received a response from our requests.”
In a request for comment, Newsom's Office told Fox News Digital, “We'll let you know if there's anything we can share.”
Democrat Newsom issued an executive order for rapid pursuit temporary housing assistance to those evacuated by a wildfire in Southern California in Los Angeles County in mid-January. (Eric Sayer)
In a letter dated January 28th, the district attorney asked the publication of Newsom to declare additional state of emergency in the surrounding counties of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Santa Barbara. The letter states that such a declaration allows us to “actively prosecute those seeking to benefit from victims who have lost everything in these unprecedented fires.”
“Thank you for your continued partnership in holding these individuals accountable and supporting fellow Californians in the darkest times of the darkest days,” the letter continues.
Los Angeles fire cleanup has been complicated by the number of “unprecedented” EVs with flammable lithium-ion batteries
Now in California, price gouging protection works only in emergencies, with bars, contractors, business owners and other similar entities claiming or advertising before the crisis. This is because you will be charged at least 10%.
One of Newsom's latest executive orders extends LA County protection until March 8th.
Southern California district lawyers have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand price gouging protections to further support wildfire victims, calling it a “governor layup.” (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Also, Newsom issued an executive order this week that “issued an executive order expanding prices that extend protection to leases of any length, rather than leases for less than a year.
State officials announced last week that a second California real estate agent has been charged with pushing fatal wildfire victims into the price range.
Click here to get the Fox News app
Bonta announced that the state is filing charges against unnamed real estate agents. They claim they tried to price the family members who were evacuated for the Eton Fire in Los Angeles.
Stepheny Price from Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
