Golden State Today

California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a website intended to provide fact-based data on Southern California wildfires. However, a Community Note on X (formerly Twitter) indicated that the link in Newsom's January 12 post directs users to make donations through ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform, rather than directly to the wildfire site.

"A lot of misinformation out there," said Newsom, California State Executive - Governor. "Just launched a new site to ensure the public has access to fact-based data around the Southern CA wildfires…"

According to the New York Post, Newsom directed donations for wildfire victims through his super Political Action Committee (PAC), Campaign for Democracy, utilizing ActBlue. The website californiafirefacts.com assures that donations will benefit the California Fire Foundation and wildfire victims. However, contributors who provide their contact information are also signed up for communications from Newsom’s PAC. ActBlue imposes a 3.95% processing fee on donations and has been known to flag transactions. A spokesperson for Newsom said that none of the funds go to his PAC and reported that $450,000 had been raised for the Fire Foundation through small contributions.

Governor Gavin Newsom (D) | Governor Gavin Newsom (D)

As reported by Cal Fire as of January 17, wildfires have ravaged 40,696 acres in the Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas. The fires have resulted in the destruction of over 12,300 structures in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding neighborhoods. There have been 24 confirmed fatalities.

Newsweek reports that a recall effort against Newsom is underway, alongside a petition to recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Criticism towards these Democratic leaders' preparedness heightened when fire hydrants ran dry during the peak of the firestorm in Pacific Palisades. The Eaton Fire in Altadena has sparked debates regarding California's forest management policies.

On October 30, 2024, House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil announced via press release a subpoena issued to ActBlue for documents concerning its donor verification policies amid fears of foreign actors potentially exploiting the platform to funnel money into U.S. political campaigns. The investigation revealed that ActBlue had not previously required card verification value (CVV) codes, prompting questions about its adherence to campaign finance laws.

Gavin Newsom serves as California’s 40th Governor and was formerly both Lieutenant Governor of California and Mayor of San Francisco.