The House Judiciary Committee alleged in a report released on Tuesday that the FireAid relief money raised in the wake of the devastating Palisades and Eaton Fire last year went to various pet causes not connected to aiding fire victims.
Released Tuesday, the report said that the over $100 million raised for fire victims went to illegal immigrants, podcasters, and nonprofit administrative costs.
“Based on internal documents obtained by the Committee, the report details how FireAid—a fundraising initiative created to provide direct relief to wildfire victims in Southern California—diverted donations intended for fire victims to left-leaning pet projects, illegal aliens, and administrative costs for various non-profit organizations,” the press release stated.
Though FireAid said that the money would be donated to helping victims of the devastating fires, the report noted that the donations did not reflect that promise. In its defense, FireAid said that it did not have the “capability to make direct payments to individuals,” adding that the donations were always “designated for direct relief and will not be used for administrative purposes.”
Roughly $75 million was donated to 188 nonprofits, with a report alleging that FireAid “prioritized and awarded grants to illegal aliens.” For instance, the group Community Organized Relief Efforts (CORE) received $250,000, which listed “undocumented migrants” as one of its “priority groups” due to them being “at high risk of housing instability, economic hardship, exploitation, and homelessness.”