FireAid retains law firm to review grants, after Trump's misleading criticism

August Brown, Los Angeles Times on Jul 30, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — The organizers of the wildfire relief organization FireAid have retained a law firm to review its grantmaking process. The move follows misleading criticism from President Donald Trump and right-wing politicians who have called for FireAid to be investigated.

FireAid, a benefit produced by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, music mogul Irving Azoff and others, quickly raised $100 million in January, following the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that tore through southern California. The concert featured A-list performers like Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga and Olivia Rodrigo, and the group quickly made $50 million in grants to local nonprofits supporting cash and food aid, housing, childcare and other immediate needs. A second round of $25 million followed, focusing on legal aid, mental health, permit assistance and other continuing issues. A third round will go out later this year.

Yet the organization has come under criticism in recent weeks by both Palisades residents and Republican politicians, including California Rep. Kevin Kiley, alleging a lack of transparency in the grantmaking process and disagreements with the strategies for distributing funds. While FireAid has published a detailed report of every group that received funds, President Trump weighed in recently to call FireAid "A TOTAL DISASTER."

The president continued with misleading criticism, saying the event "LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM. 100 MILLION DOLLARS IS MISSING. WAS SUPPOSED TO TO GO TO THE LOS ANGELES FIRE VICTIMS, FIRES THAT, WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT, WOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN HAPPENED."

In response, FireAid said that its accounting firm KPMG will have a comprehensive report on the grants' impact ready in December and a six-month progress report within weeks. Additionally, it has "tasked Latham & Watkins to conduct a comprehensive review of FireAid's governance and grantmaking processes. This review will also include assessing whether recipient organizations are using funds in alignment with FireAid's stated purpose and commitments. We've shared this update with Rep. Kiley, along with documentation showing how FireAid funds are delivering real relief — from food and housing to legal aid and direct cash assistance.

"FireAid was established immediately after the Fires to provide relief through various non-profit charitable organizations that have the infrastructure and experience that could be leveraged to support those affected by the Fires," the organization continued. "By allocating funds to non-profit charitable organizations with experience and capability across a broad spectrum of necessary services, FireAid has strived to ensure that assistance reaches the communities and individuals most affected by the Fires in a responsible yet efficient and impactful manner."