An audit has cleared the Fire Aid organization of misusing $100 million in donated funds, though it struggled to explain why grants were given to political organizations with little connection to the Los Angeles wildfires.
The January 7 fires in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, and Pasadena destroyed thousands of homes and displaced tens of thousands of people in what may be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.
As Breitbart News has reported, the Fire Aid concert in late January featured a star-studded lineup of world-class musicians — some of whom lived in, or had grown up in, the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades. The concert raised $100 million — but very little of the money went to individual fire victims. Most went to organizations — some of which, such as the “California Native Vote Project” appeared to have no real link to the disaster.
The Fire Aid organization, which distributed the funds through the Annenberg Foundation and other philanthropies, committed to an independent audit by the Latham & Watkins law firm. It found:
Based on the investigation conducted to date, 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. Rather, our findings indicate that FireAid understood its purpose as a charity concert to raise money for fire victims, communicating consistently how charitable donations would be used across its website, public statements, and sponsorship materials. Neither these materials nor FireAid’s corporate formation documents state that FireAid would provide cash grants directly to individuals. Our investigation has also found that grants were disbursed consistent with FireAid’s stated mission. Some of the grantee organizations provided direct cash assistance to victims of the Fires, such as grocery and food gift cards, pre-loaded debit cards, and direct cash grants, while others provided other forms of relief consistent with FireAid’s mission.
Regarding unusual recipients, the audit says:
Although a number of organizations have attracted some level of scrutiny for their receipt of funds, and though critics have expressed belief that certain organizations were inappropriate grantees, recipients of FireAid funds appear to have used those funds in ways that are consistent with their intended and communicated use.
The audit cited the example of After the Fire, a survivors’ support organization that was singled out for criticism by Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) but which has, in face, helped local residents organize to advocate for their interest against abusive practices by insurance companies.
The audit did not explore or explain other organizations in depth. As the New York Post notes, these include a wide variety of groups, from individuals making podcasts to “nonprofits that focus on political advocacy for minority groups.”
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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