Shortly after last January’s devastating Southern California wildfires, a star-studded lineup of musical artists came together — to much fanfare — to raise money for victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
But nearly a year later, a House Judiciary Committee report suggests that FireAid, the nonprofit which organized the benefit concert and raised approximately $100 million, steered some funds toward projects that had nothing to do with fire recovery – a claim which FireAid disputes.
The Jan. 6 document was an interim report, and the committee’s investigation is ongoing.
The report alleged that rather than deliver money directly to fire victims, FireAid “diverted” money to third-party groups and that some of the funds went toward “causes and projects completely unrelated to fire recovery, including voter participation for Native Americans, illegal aliens, (and) podcast shows.”
And despite FireAid’s assurance that funds would only be used to provide “direct community support for relief, recovery and rebuilding – not for overhead or salaries,” some money paid the salaries and bonuses of people working at nonprofits or other organizations, the report said.
FireAid, though, maintains it’s done nothing improper, citing findings by a law firm that it had conduct an independent internal review last year after questions were first raised as to whether the organization misled donors.
“We have not identified evidence of any misrepresentations in the solicitation of charitable funds, improper selection of grantees, improper distribution of funds, improper use or misappropriation of funds, fraudulent intent, or deviation from FireAid’s stated mission,” Latham & Watkins, the law firm, wrote in a September report.
Still, FireAid remains under the scrutiny of some House Judiciary members.
Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Republican from Northern California, called for an investigation last summer after comments surfaced on social media and in some news reports suggesting impropriety.
Kiley, in a statement when the Judiciary Committee shared its report, said the purpose was to provide transparency and accountability.
“Donors gave generously with the understanding that their contributions would help wildfire victims recover and rebuild,” Kiley said. “This report helps clarify how the funds were actually used and highlights areas where spending did not align with the concert’s stated purpose or donor expectations.”
FireAid had awarded $75 million of the approximately $100 million raised to 188 nonprofits as of Jan. 27.
The nonprofit was formed just days after the start of the fires and partnered with the Annenberg Foundation, an established philanthropic foundation with “significant infrastructure and expertise” to advise it on aid distribution, according to the Latham & Watkins report.
The FireAid concert was a collaboration between the Los Angeles Clippers, music mogul Irving Azoff and the entertainment company Live Nation. Clippers owner Steve Balmer and his wife Connie donated heavily to the cause.
The star-powered lineup of performers that night included Billie Eilish, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Joni Mitchell, Jelly Roll, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder and Sting, among others. No Doubt even reunited for one night.
Although the Judiciary Committee did not accuse the musicians who performed of wrongdoing, its report alleged that the organization behind the event “apparently misused charitable donations.”
At issue is whether donors were deceived and if funds were misappropriated.
“FireAid advertised that all donations raised during its benefit concert would go directly to victims of the California wildfires. … Instead, money went towards left-leaning pet projects, illegal aliens, and the administrative costs” of nonprofit organizations, the Judiciary Committee report said.
But the law firm that conducted an investigation on behalf of FireAid said that although the organization did not make direct payments to fire victims, it gave grants to nonprofits that have provided direct relief, and this approach was “consistently communicated to both the public and donors.”
In addition, the Latham & Watkins report said it did not find evidence that funds were given to organizations that did not provide relevant aid.
“Though critics have expressed belief that certain organizations were inappropriate grantees, recipients of FireAid funds appear to have used funds in ways that are consistent with their intended and communicated use,” the law firm’s report said.
In a subsequent emailed statement, FireAid said that 100% of the money raised was intended to directly support fire survivors and impacted communities through frontline organizations.
“This requirement was clearly communicated to all grantees, and FireAid will hold all grantees accountable to their grant agreements to ensure aid continues to directly reach survivors,” it said.
The nonprofit said it will follow up “with any organization as needed to require the reallocation of funds previously spent on administrative expenses.”
“FireAid’s grantees are doing extraordinary work to support fire survivors, and transparency and accountability remain central to FireAid’s mission,” it stated.
Below are examples of FireAid grant recipients, which the Judiciary Committee flagged.
- The California Native Vote Project received $100,000. The Judiciary Committee report said this organization is best known for increasing Native American voter participation, and it was unclear if it provided any wildfire relief.
Chrissie Castro, executive director of the California Native Vote Project, said although her organization’s name contains the word “vote,” its work extends beyond civic engagement. CNVP is a statewide organization that also conducts public health outreach, leadership development, research and policy advocacy and provides community support, she said.
The organization, Castro said, provided direct support and recovery education to over 300 Native-identifying residents impacted by the fires.
“This was emergency relief delivered through trusted Native community networks at a time when many Native families were not being effectively reached by traditional recovery systems,” she said.
- Community Organized Relief Efforts, an organization that considered “undocumented migrants” a priority group for assistance, given their high risk level for experiencing economic hardship and homelessness, received $250,000, according to the Judiciary Committee. Its report said “an unknown amount of money from FireAid donations went towards illegal aliens.”
According to FireAid, CORE gave funds to 328 “high vulnerability households,” each of which received $750 to cover emergency needs such as food, transportation and housing. It’s unclear if or how many of those households included an undocumented immigrant. CORE did not respond to a request for comment.
- Altadena Talks Foundation received $100,000 to support the Toni Raines podcast and other shows. Raines talked about the wildfires on her podcast, but it’s unclear how or if FireAid dollars directly helped fire victims, the report said.
Altadena Talks Foundation CEO Brian Baccus said in an email that the FireAid grant supported daily local broadcasting, direct community outreach and partnerships that connected residents with reliable information, resources and recovery assistance.
“The Altadena Talks Foundation, and the podcast it sponsors, was founded by and for Altadena residents, and our work has always been focused on serving the community we call home,” Baccus wrote.
“FireAid funds enabled NLSLA attorneys and paralegals to provide free legal services directly to wildfire survivors facing urgent legal issues, such as housing and FEMA denials,” Neighborhood Legal Services said in a statement. “We respect the role of congressional oversight and are confident the funds were used appropriately for disaster recovery.”
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, criticized the Judiciary Committee’s investigation as a “unipartisan” effort, saying Republicans did not involve him, Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, or any Democrat on the relevant committees in the investigation. Neither Sherman nor Chu serve on the Judiciary Committee, but they both represent communities that were hit hardest by the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Republicans appear to dislike FireAid, Sherman said in a statement, “perhaps because a small portion of the money went to undocumented immigrants.”
“They attack some of the charitable organizations because they spend money on salaries,” he added. “Well, if the purpose of the organization is to provide legal services to fire victims, that money is going to be spent on salaries.”
The House Judiciary Committee asked some of the grant recipients for additional information, and the investigation into FireAid is ongoing. Asked if there will be further actions or a hearing on the matter at some point, a spokesperson for the committee said “all options are on the table.”
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