Latham & Watkins FireAid Report: No Problems Here

This was one of the nonprofits that received a grant from FireAid.

This nonprofit, the Health Foundation of Philadelphia, received money from Fireaid.

A FireAid concert held in January was intended for the victims of the Palisades/Eaton Fires to help with survival and rebuilding. Instead that money went to nonprofits, many of whom have no ties to either community.

In July, Congressman Kevin Kiley asked U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into FireAid Funds.

Latham & Watkins, an international law firm, engaged by FireAid released an investigative report for FireAid Concerts on September 8, explaining how FireAid had done nothing wrong.

As resident Spencer Pratt pointed out, “What a surprise, the law firm engaged by FireAid, found no issues.”

The report centers around semantics. It argues that FireAid never said they would give money to individuals. And the stars that said it would go to individuals, never explicitly said those people would receive cash or a check.click here.

In Latham & Watkins pro bono report they write, “our investigation to date indicates that FireAid’s processes align with its stated mission.” That money “will be distributed for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California.”

A resident said, “The wording specifically stated it was to help wildfire victims. The concert performers also announced repeatedly that all funds would go directly to the victims.

“We are now being told by FireAid representatives and designated spokespeople that they never intended to give money directly to the victims.

“If in fact there was never an intention to give money to the victims, greater thought should have been given to how the concerts and related fundraising programs were promoted. It is the responsibility of any nonprofit charitable organization to be transparent in how monies will be spent when encouraging designated giving or donating for a specific purpose. If you state that the money is going to the victims, it needs to go to the victims.  If you state that the money is going to nonprofit organizations that may have some representation in the affected communities, you need to make this clear.”

The Latham & Watkins report also noted that although some of musicians did say the money raised would go directly to the people who needed help, the stars were wrong because “these statements, and others like them, did not state that the FireAid organization would provide victims with direct payments or checks.”

The report also notes that grant funds must be used “exclusively for relief and response efforts and not for organizational overhead or administrative expenses.”

Latham & Watkins did not include an accounting of how grantees used the money and if it was being used for administrative purposes. There were 172 grantees.  The report provides no information on what the vast majority of the nonprofits did with the money.

One resident asked, “How do we know that any of those nonprofits provided direct aid, as was promised?”

In the report there are a few cases where it looks like the money aided victims, but it comes from the grantees’ own reports, without any proof that the assertions are true.

There is no accountability about where the money went, what happened to it or how fire victims were directly aided by each nonprofit.

“Tens of thousands of people in Southern California lost so much in the wildfires, including their homes and loved ones,” Rep. Kiley said. “Americans generously opened their wallets to help the people impacted by the wildfires. Every penny should go towards helping those people rebuild their lives. I am urging the Attorney General to open an investigation into the matter immediately so the people of Southern California can receive much-needed relief.”