{"id":2497768,"date":"2025-10-11T05:16:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T09:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-launch-investigation-into-california-fire-charity-funds\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T05:18:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T09:18:53","slug":"republicans-launch-investigation-into-california-fire-charity-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-launch-investigation-into-california-fire-charity-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Republicans launch investigation into California fire charity funds"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-launch-investigation-into-california-fire-charity-funds%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2497768&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republican Representatives Kevin Kiley (CA) and Jim Jordan (OH) have initiated an examination into how a California charitable organization used a $500,000 grant intended to aid victims of the 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires. The inquiry seeks openness regarding the financial management of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-harris-was-praised-for-giving-to-blm-bail-funds-while-donors-to-kyle-rittenhouse-fund-are-being-doxxed\/\" title=\"Kamala Harris Was Praised For Giving To BLM Bail ..., While Donors To Kyle Rittenhouse Fund Are Being Doxxed\">funds raised<\/a> by FireAid, a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >disaster-relief charity<\/a> that gathered $100 million through benefit concerts for fire victims. Kiley and Jordan have requested financial records from the california Volunteers Fund, which was listed as a recipient of some FireAid funds, though the fund denies receiving any grant money. The investigation also aims to uncover any connections between the California Volunteers Fund and California Volunteers, an entity linked to Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom&#8217;s office. This probe comes amid broader federal investigations into the fires&#8217; management, including criticism of firefighting tactics and preparedness, especially following the arrest of a suspect accused of starting the initial blaze. Governor Newsom has committed to releasing a report on the fire response and preparedness by late October.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Republican lawmakers launch investigation into California fire charity funds<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2367670\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Republican Reps. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kevin-kiley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kevin Kiley <\/a>(CA) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jim-jordan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jim Jordan<\/a> (OH)&nbsp;launched an investigation this week into how a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California<\/a> charitable organization spent a $500,000 grant meant to support victims of the Palisades and&nbsp;Eaton Fires.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The investigation follows several other federal investigations into the fatal infernos aimed at determining whether local officials prepared sufficiently for the emergency and what was done in the immediate&nbsp;aftermath.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3842446\/businesses-supporting-jay-jones-largely-silent-following-controversies\/\">Corporate donors stand by Virginia attorney general nominee Jay Jones<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3845661\/pressure-mounts-investigations-mismanagement-lachman-palisades-fires-california\/\">Pressure mounts for investigations into mismanagement of Lachman and Palisades Fires<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3845304\/oversight-committee-ghislaine-maxwell-testify\/\">Oversight committee contacted Ghislaine Maxwell to testify after Supreme Court defeat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighters work from a deck as the Palisades fire burns a beachfront property, Jan. 8, 2025, in Malibu, California. (AP Photo\/Etienne Laurent)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kiley and Jordan sent a letter to the head of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.californiavolunteersfund.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California Volunteers Fund<\/a> asking for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-secures-first-hunter-biden-whistleblowers\/\" title=\"Congress Secures First Hunter Biden Whistleblowers\">financial records related<\/a> to money it received from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fireaidla.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FireAid<\/a>, a disaster-relief charity that raised $100 million for fire victims through benefit concerts in January.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is not publicly known how the California Volunteers Fund distributed this $500,000, or what individuals or entities received funds,&rdquo; said the letter to Dave Smith, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pro-choice-protesters-offered-me-free-plan-b-within-5-minutes-before-the-dnc-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Pro-choice protesters offered me free Plan B within 5 minutes before the DNC - Washington Examiner\">fund&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s chief executive. &ldquo;It is also unclear whether the state-based California Volunteers, run out of the Governor&rsquo;s Office, received any of the FireAid-originated funds via the California Volunteers Fund.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Republican lawmakers want to review all of the documents and communications related to the fires between the California Volunteers Fund and California Volunteers, which is housed within Democratic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gov. Gavin Newsom&rsquo;s<\/a> office.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kiley claims that FireAid has&nbsp;&ldquo;come under scrutiny for diverting donations to nonprofits instead of providing direct relief to fire victims.&rdquo; Some of the complaints around FireAid are that it gave money to organizations involved in political advocacy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The California Volunteers Fund said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/politics\/story\/2025-10-08\/house-republicans-launch-investigation-into-fire-charity-fund-distribution\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> to the&nbsp;<em>Los Angeles&nbsp;Times<\/em>, which first reported the story,&nbsp;that although it was considered for a grant, it did not accept any funds from FireAid.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The inclusion of California Volunteers on the FireAid website was an error on their part and has been corrected,&rdquo; Cristina Valdivia Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the organization, said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Newsom&rsquo;s office also claimed that it had no role in FireAid and that &ldquo;any&nbsp;implication otherwise by these Republican stooges is an asinine conspiracy theory.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Separately, calls have been growing for&nbsp;investigations into failures in reignition management and other aspects of the firefighting response to the deadly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fire\/\">&nbsp;<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2025 Palisades Fire<\/a>. The scrutiny comes after the arrest of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3842478\/police-arrest-suspect-palisades-fire-jonathan-rinderknecht\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jonathan Rinderknecht<\/a>, who is accused of setting a smaller blaze six days earlier that authorities say sparked the larger inferno.<\/p>\n<p>Even though Rinderknecht was charged with the crime, fire experts told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;that mismanagement by firefighting crews and questionable tactics putting out the smaller Lachman Fire contributed to the Palisades Fire.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3845661\/pressure-mounts-investigations-mismanagement-lachman-palisades-fires-california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO MISMANAGEMENT OF LACHMAN AND PALISADES FIRES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Residents have also questioned why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pressure-mounts-for-investigations-into-la-fire-mismanagement\/\" title=\"... for ... into LA ... mismanagement\">fire officials didn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t make sure the entire blaze was out before leaving the scene and why they didn&rsquo;t pre-deploy trucks to the Palisades area ahead of a strong wind forecast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Newsom said that a report&nbsp;examining the preparedness for the fire and the response to it&nbsp;will be released the week of Oct. 20.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP probes California fire charity&#8217;s $500K fund use<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2497769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AP25014517908353-scaled-e1760135421350.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4045,65012,3976,3756],"class_list":["post-2497768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california","tag-fire-charity","tag-investigation","tag-republicans"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AP25014517908353-scaled-e1760135421350.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2497768"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2497772,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497768\/revisions\/2497772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2497769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2497768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2497768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2497768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}