A California congressman is calling for an investigation into the use of a $100 million charitable donation. The funds were donated by the public to aid victims of the January wildfires in Los Angeles and help them rebuild their homes.
Republican Federal Congressman Kevin Kiley of California stated that he has learned that none of the wildfire victims received any assistance from the massive funds raised at the charity concert called “FireAid.” According to his post on X on July 22, the funds were allegedly funneled directly to multiple non-profit organizations, many of which have little relevance to wildfire relief efforts.
Kiley has written to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, requesting the Department of Justice to investigate the actual destination and beneficiaries of this funding. In his statement on the 23rd, he emphasized, “Tens of thousands of Southern Californians lost their homes and loved ones in the wildfires. Americans generously donated to help these victims rebuild their lives – every penny should truly benefit them.”
In his letter to Bondi, Kiley urged the Department of Justice to “swiftly take action to uphold and restore public confidence in the use of charitable funds, ensuring that the funds reach the intended beneficiaries in full.”
The “FireAid” charity concert took place simultaneously in two venues in Inglewood, California on January 30 this year, with many renowned artists performing for the wildfire victims. The organizer, the Annenberg Foundation based in Los Angeles, reassured the public that the funds raised would be entirely used for relief efforts.
On the FireAid website, it was stated, “We collectively raised approximately $100 million, and this amount will be solely dedicated to assisting disaster victims, with no funds used for administrative expenses.” The organization indicated that in February of this year, the first round of donations totaling $50 million was distributed to over 120 non-profit organizations, with some funds expected to be directly given to the households affected by the January wildfires. The second round of $25 million was allocated for supporting the financial and housing stability of the victims, mental health and trauma therapy services, and community infrastructure. The total of $25 million in the third round will be distributed by the end of this year.
Epoch Times reached out to the Annenberg Foundation regarding the use of FireAid funds, but as of press time, the foundation has not responded.
The California government has not announced any investigation into FireAid. The California Department of Justice has also not responded to inquiries about considering an investigation into the fundraising activities of the foundation. Governor Newsom’s office declined to explain the reasons for not conducting an investigation, only referring to a social media post by the state news team on July 22.
“The FireAid is an independent organization, with no association with the state government or the governor himself,” Governor Newsom’s office stated on X platform, “The governor and the state government were not involved in decisions regarding the FireAid concert or the allocation of its funds.”
The Newsom office further mentioned, “California has the strictest charitable fundraising and ethical laws in the United States, and any allegations of wrongdoing should be submitted for review to the Charitable Trusts Section under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Justice, which is responsible for monitoring charitable institutions and non-profit organizations in the state.”
In another separate fundraising initiative, the Newsom office noted that the governor raised funds for the California Fire Foundation during the wildfire period, receiving timely support from people across the country and raising over $800,000 in small donations. Newsom’s spokesperson Nathan Click informed Epoch Times via email, “Not a single cent of this donation went into Gavin Newsom’s or his political action committee’s accounts.” ◇