California Governor Gavin Newsom addresses the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California on May 2, 2023. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf 3:48 PM – Monday, January 13, 2025
Amid ongoing criticism regarding his handling of the Los Angeles fires, California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has once again stirred controversy by requesting donations for victims through ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform that takes a 3.95% fee from all contributions.
This disaster has led many to question how Newsom (D-Calif.) and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass could have let such a situation escalate, especially with earlier warnings received.
According to a report by Newsweek, Newsom cut more than $100 million in funding aimed at wildfire and forest resilience in June 2024, generating significant backlash regarding his lack of preventive actions.
President-elect Donald Trump has not held back in criticizing Newsom’s handling of the situation, labeling it “incompetence.”
“Governor Gavin Newscum failed to sign the water restoration declaration that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow into many parts of California, including areas now engulfed in flames,” Trump mentioned in a post on Truth Social.
In a bid to combat the rising tide of misinformation, Newsom launched a new website focusing on California’s responses to the fires, while also linking to a donation option through ActBlue, encouraging users to contribute funds and submit personal information to the Democratic fundraising platform.
“There’s a lot of misinformation circulating. I just launched a new site to provide the public with accurate data about the Southern CA wildfires,” Newsom stated in a post on X.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Just launched a new site to ensure the public has access to fact-based data around the Southern CA wildfires. The TRUTH: – CA did NOT cut our firefighting budget. We have nearly doubled the size of our firefighting team and built the world’s…
Responses from users on social media quickly surfaced, expressing outrage at Newsom’s fundraising efforts.
“At the end of your so-called ‘fact’ website, you want people to donate to a fund managed by ACTBLUE! You’ve demonstrated complete incompetence and have lied consistently, and now you expect donations that aid in DEMOCRAT FUNDRAISING! Democratic policies are the reason SoCal is burning with no relief in sight!” one user commented.
“He’s [fundraising] for his own political advantage. Notice he’s not using his official governor account, and the fundraising link goes to an ACT Blue account! He’s a criminal!” another user remarked.
If individuals click on the donation link, they will also receive texts from Newsom’s Campaign for Democracy political action committee.
In the meantime, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) shared the donation link, urging support for the communities affected by the wildfires: “To help support the communities around L.A. being devastated by wildfires, can you split a donation between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles? 100% of your donation will go directly to these organizations.”
To help support the communities around L.A. being devastated by wildfires, can you split a donation between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles? 100% of your donation will go directly to these organizations: https://t.co/EtgMfHrEtq
However, X Community Notes refuted her donation link post, clarifying that “This is not a link to charity. It directs users to a Democratic fundraising platform which takes 3.95% of all transactions.”
For those looking to support firefighters and victims without contributing processing fees or personal information to Democratic fundraising platforms, donations can be made directly to the California Fire Foundation or the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
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