{"id":2609368,"date":"2026-06-02T05:39:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T09:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsoms-wildfire-relief-fund-diverted-millions-toward-managing-anti-ice-riots\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T05:43:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T09:43:54","slug":"newsoms-wildfire-relief-fund-diverted-millions-toward-managing-anti-ice-riots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsoms-wildfire-relief-fund-diverted-millions-toward-managing-anti-ice-riots\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom\u2019s wildfire relief fund diverted millions toward managing anti-ICE riots"},"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\">20<\/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%2Fnewsoms-wildfire-relief-fund-diverted-millions-toward-managing-anti-ice-riots%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=2609368&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>A California wildfire relief fund intended too help victims of the January 2025 LA-area fires was used partly for activities tied to political protests after the fires, according to state records cited in the article. The California Department of Finance reports that millions were diverted to crowd-control and law-enforcement-related efforts during anti-ICE demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles in June 2025-rather than direct fire recovery.the article adds that while the state budgeted $2.5 billion to speed recovery and construction,a large portion of the initial funding still had not been allocated months later,even as some allowable spending went toward police monitoring,traffic control,and related service contracts.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Millions of dollars earmarked for Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Gavin-Newsom\/\">Gavin Newsom\u2019s<\/a> (D-CA) wildfire relief fund, which was meant to help victims of the January 2025 fires recover from the devastation, went instead toward unrelated expenses, including more than $14 million diverted to controlling crowds during <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/California\/\">California\u2019s<\/a> anti-deportation protests the following summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to California Department of Finance records, $12.8 million of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Los-Angeles\/\">Los Angeles<\/a> wildfire response and recovery funds were used to pay for the deployment of California Highway Patrol officers sent to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/police\/\">police<\/a> demonstrations against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ICE\/\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> in downtown LA last year.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4580277\/aipac-spending-strategy-evolution\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How AIPAC\u2019s spending strategy evolved, to the dread of anti-Israel Democrats and Republican detractors<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4580236\/irs-rogue-agent-aggressive-tax-investigations\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>IRS could soon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aipac-spends-to-the-dread-of-democrats-and-republican-detractors\/\" title=\"AIPAC spends to the dread of Democrats and Re...an detractors\">fire outspoken \u2018rogue\u2019 agent<\/a> behind aggressive tax investigations<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4578089\/feeding-our-future-ringleader-aimee-bock-sentenced-41-years\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Feeding Our Future ringleader Aimee Bock sentenced to 41 years in federal prison<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese activities included traffic control, tactical alert, and monitoring of demonstrations to ensure safety of the public and assist other government agencies,\u201d according to a cost breakdown disclosed in the latest <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dof.ca.gov\/media\/docs\/whats-new\/Los-Angeles-Wildfire-Response-and-Recovery-Expenditure-Report-as-of-2026-03-04-v3.pdf\">report<\/a> of the fund\u2019s disbursements.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The expenditure report shows that the state spent another $1.5 million of fund allocations on service contracts with the California governor\u2019s Office of Emergency Services \u201cto aid and support local law enforcement amidst nationwide demonstrations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Los Angeles was the epicenter of a wave of anti-ICE demonstrations in June 2025, when the Trump administration launched raids targeting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illegal-immigration\/\">illegal immigrants<\/a> living in and around the city. The demonstrations, some of which turned violent, resulted in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3442765\/ice-los-angeles-prosecutions-rioters\/\">hundreds of arrests<\/a>, as <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >organized groups overwhelmed local law enforcement<\/a> on a near-nightly basis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4559465\/palisades-fire-suspect-espoused-left-wing-ideology-prosecutors\/\"><strong>PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ESPOUSED LEFT-WING IDEOLOGY, PROSECUTORS SAY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though considerable fire relief funding was budgeted out to such crowd-control operations, relatively few dollars of Newsom\u2019s multibillion-dollar disaster recovery fund have actually reached people still rebuilding from the Los Angeles-area fires, and much of it remains untouched despite ample money on hand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbclosangeles.com\/investigations\/wildfire-relief-fund-california-eaton-palisades-fire\/3896539\/\">reported<\/a> by NBC Los Angeles on Thursday, at least 60% of the initial $1.5 billion budget, or roughly $895 million, has yet to be allocated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stall in critical relief funding comes almost a year and a half after the California governor signed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2025\/01\/23\/governor-newsom-signs-2-5-billion-bipartisan-relief-package-to-help-los-angeles-recover-and-rebuild-faster-from-firestorm\/\">a sweeping $2.5 billion relief package<\/a> to \u201cjumpstart recovery\u201d in the aftermath of the deadly and destructive blazes, which displaced thousands and killed at least 31 people between the Palisades and Eaton fires.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, Newsom\u2019s office said the special session legislation was supposed to \u201cexpedite\u201d emergency response efforts and \u201cstreamline\u201d construction projects so that buildings destroyed by the inferno could be quickly rebuilt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThanks to our partners in the legislature, we\u2019re providing over $2.5 billion in immediate relief \u2014 expediting initial firestorm response and recovery efforts,\u201d Newsom said in a statement announcing the fund\u2019s authorization. \u201cWe\u2019re also directing millions of dollars to help local governments speed up building approvals \u2014 so folks can rebuild their homes faster.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom added that California was assisting impacted Angelenos without any \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GavinNewsom\/status\/1882586313423220751\">conditions<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnlike MAGA Republicans in Washington who talk about delaying relief for political purposes, California is supporting our people with no strings attached,\u201d Newsom said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom\u2019s office told NBC Los Angeles that there were limits on what the funds could be used for, suggesting that the expenses must qualify for repayment by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe $2.5 billion authorized in January 2025 was specifically designed as an advance of funds for FEMA reimbursable projects, to accelerate recovery and provide resources for immediate action as the federal government processes claims over years,\u201d Newsom spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) surveys damage during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Jeff Gritchen\/The Orange County Register via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the text of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/CA\/text\/ABX14\/id\/3081861\">California Assembly bill<\/a> that approved the appropriations makes no mention of a federal reimbursement requirement stipulating that relief spending follow Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines for eligible disaster-related uses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As outlined by the state statute, the fund\u2019s allowable uses \u201cinclude, but are not limited to,\u201d the litany of public safety actions listed in the legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Newsom\u2019s administration indicated that the fund was dedicated to expenses that FEMA would eventually repay, the bill, as written, does not explicitly require that spending be limited to FEMA-reimbursable activities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> contacted the legislation\u2019s co-sponsors, California state Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, for clarification on the funds being authorized for purposes other than direct fire recovery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the $605 million in relief funds spent to date reimbursed first responders for actions undertaken during the fires. A combined $37 million was paid out to the Los Angeles County and city fire departments for their work. CHP, the state\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nearly-14000-stolen-items-recovered-2-arrested-in-retail-theft-ring-crackdown\/\" title=\"14,000 stolen items found, 2 arrests made in retail theft crackdown.\">highway patrol agency<\/a>, took in $16 million for monitoring road closures, assisting with evacuations, and providing \u201clooting patrol\u201d in evacuated areas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4409757\/palisades-fire-report-edited-by-la-mayor-to-soften-criticism-of-city-response\/\"><strong>OFFICIAL PALISADES FIRE REPORT EDITED BY LA MAYOR TO SOFTEN CRITICISM OF CITY\u2019S RESPONSE TO CRISIS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of the relief package, the Governor\u2019s Office of Business and Economic Development also set aside $3 million in financial assistance for small businesses and nonprofit organizations struggling in the wake of the wildfires.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Los Angeles County was separately given $121.6 million in relief funds to temporarily offset lost tax revenue in anticipation that some residents would delay tax payments on property damaged or destroyed in the fires.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of February, the most recent reporting month, the relief fund has remaining balances of $953 million in one <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bcp.dof.ca.gov\/2526\/FY2526_ORG0690_BCP8377.pdf\">control section<\/a> and $1 billion in the other.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Millions in Newsom\u2019s wildfire fund was diverted to crowd control during 2025 anti-deportation protests, records show<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2609369,"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\/2026\/04\/newsompic.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[57500,4045,32742,80657,48732],"class_list":["post-2609368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-anti-ice-protests","tag-california","tag-gavin-newsom","tag-government-mismanagement","tag-wildfire-relief"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/newsompic.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609368","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\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2609368"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2609372,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609368\/revisions\/2609372"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2609368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2609368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2609368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}