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California lawmakers called for unity amid Los Angeles’ historic wildfires, while at least one launched letters to Congress calling for federal investigations into Sacramento’s wildfire preparedness and environmental policies.
republican legislators too said at a news conference Monday that any talk of the gavel in the special session for the express purpose of strengthening the state against President-elect Trump should be scrapped.
Rep. Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, said he is sending letters to appointees of the new Trump administration and top oversight lawmakers, suggesting Sacramento officials will not “get to the truth” about the flames.
DeMaio said tragedies like the wildfires are a rare issue that can unite Republicans and Democrats, adding that Californians “are united in wishing these communities the best for a speedy recovery.”
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A helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Etienne Laurent)
“But I also think that Californians are also united on a very important issue of accountability. Why weren’t we better prepared for this disaster? Every Californian is asking that question.”
DeMaio said the legislative special session should include oversight hearings on the questions he demanded Governor Gavin Newsom He has not answered enough.
“He has provided nothing but evasion and, frankly, dishonesty,” DeMaio said. “I don’t think we’re going to get to the truth if we leave the investigation in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and local politicians.”
DeMaio said two of his letters have been sent to Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, both of Kentucky, to investigate “a series of of failures of state and local politicians in these fire disasters.”
He added that he will ask President-elect Trump to also sign an executive order asking federal agencies to investigate California’s lack of brush management, maintenance of public land and inadequate water supply and infrastructure in affected areas. by the fire
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assembly Carl De Maio (CQ/Getty)
Lawmakers also hit out at insurance companies and warned that the state’s insurance market could slide into insolvency if changes aren’t made amid falling coverage and private companies leaving the state.
Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, noted that his district weathered the 2019 Paradise fire and offered the caucus’ condolences and support to those dealing with the crisis in Los Angeles.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the community members and first responders who are fighting and doing God’s work fighting these fires as we speak. I want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help keep people safe , to help people recover,” Gallagher said.
“We need to do a lot more to fight and prevent catastrophic wildfires in our state,” he said, adding that both wildfire prevention and issues with the state’s insurance market should be addressed in the session special
Gallagher said that in 2021, he and other lawmakers fought for $1 billion in funding for these issues, and that there has been a significant reduction in appropriations since then.
“We’re calling for immediate action on recovery to help ensure these communities recover from this disaster, but also on real solutions to help us be a stronger, more resilient state in the face of catastrophic wildfires.”
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DeMaio, Gallagher and Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, also expressed concern about the state’s insurance market.
Grove listed nearly a dozen insurance companies that he said stopped writing California Homeowners Insurancelimited renewals or exited the state market.
He noted that homeowners can’t get or refinance a mortgage without proof of insurance and called for “permanently eliminating red tape and speeding up cleanup, recovery and rebuilding for all Californians affected by the wildfires.”
For his part, Newsom has reportedly proposed $2.5 billion in additional funding for emergency response and preparedness.
Assemblywoman Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said seven of California’s 15 deadliest wildfires have occurred in the past 10 years and little seems to be changing in the way they prepare.
California Governor Gavin Newsom. (Getty)
Former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson reopened the Santa Monica Freeway just 66 days after a collapse caused by the 1994 earthquake, he said.
Under Newsom, CalFIRE’s ranks and budget have nearly doubled to nearly 11,000 members and $3.8 billion. The state’s forest management budget also increased under the potential 2028 presidential candidate.
In a tweet rejecting Republican claims about cuts in fire prevention funding, Newsom’s press office tweeted that it presented an “intentionally misleading chart that begins when a one-time budget supplement was injected to respond to the terrible fires of 2019/2020”.
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom, as well as Trump Transition and Comer to respond to DiMaio’s letters.
