House GOP demands FireAid send remaining $25 million raised directly to LA fire victims, answer for $75 million sent to nonprofits

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) have demanded that FireAid produce a detailed breakdown of where donations to benefit the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires have gone and that the remaining $25 million out of $100 million donated to the organization be sent directly to LA fire victims.

FireAid was organized by Irving Azoff and Shelli Azoff, and claimed to be sending donations directly to fire victims. A letter from Jordan and Kiley stated, "In response to the wildfires, you organized FireAid to raise money for California fire victims. FireAid held a benefit concert raising $100 million, which it promised to send directly to people affected by the wildfires."

"However, according to public reports, FireAid diverted these donations to nonprofits instead of providing direct relief to fire victims. As part of our constitutional oversight responsibilities, we request your voluntary cooperation with oversight of this matter. When confronted with the fact that the raised funds were not directly given to those affected, FireAid stated that it 'does not have the capability to make direct payments to individuals and that was never the plan. We partnered with trusted local non-profits... to reach communities in need.'"

"Yet, FireAid advertised that the $100 million 'ha[s] been designated for direct relief and will not be used for administrative purposes.' The donated money that was meant to go towards victims to assist in rebuilding efforts was instead sent to nonprofits with purposes unrelated to fire relief. For example, one of the nonprofits claims to promote 'self-determination in the Latino community.' Another nonprofit claims to 'cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect.'"

The letter stated that $75 million of the $100 million that was collected has gone to nonprofits, while only $25 million is left.

The letter went on to demand that the organization "provide a detailed breakdown of all nonprofits that received money from FireAid, including the amount, date, recipient, and purpose of each expenditure," as well as that the remaining $25 million "be allocated directly to victims of the California wildfires."

The letter from the congressmen came after it was reported that funds that went to FireAid, instead of going to fire victims, went to a number of nonprofits.