1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:00,880 Speaker 1: Can't. 2 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 2: I am six forty. 3 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: You're listening to the John Cobel Podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 4 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: We're on every day from one until four o'clock. After 5 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: four o'clock John Cobel Show on demand, that's the podcast 6 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: version on the iHeart app. And let me tell you something. 7 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: There's an hour you've got to hear our first hour. 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: It'll be on the podcast shortly after four o'clock and 9 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: you listen to it. It's we go through piece by 10 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: piece a Channel seven ABC seven Bay Area report on 11 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: Ricardo Lara. How far Lara? He's the insurance Commissioner. We've 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: talked about this before, but this was an explosive, extensive, 13 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: detailed report. He's taken forty eight trips as insurance commission 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: over the last six years, all taxpayer paid. Most of 15 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: them had nothing to do with insurance. He flew to 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,319 Speaker 1: South Africa and enjoyed a two week safari to see 17 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: you know, the lions and the and the leopards and 18 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: the rhight Oceroses two and a half away and he 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: stays at five star hotels. He went to Bogotah, Colombia 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: for some LGBTQ conference. He went for a Pride Week 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: in New York to see some DJ. What was there 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: with the DJ's name something glitter Getty glitter right, charged 23 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 1: US hundreds of thousands of dollars for private security, private 24 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: security on top of hundreds. 25 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: Of thousand dollars in a contract with HP. You've got it. 26 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: You're just not going to believe how much money he 27 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: has wasted your tax money on nonsense, garbage pleasure trips. 28 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: And this has been known for a while and nobody 29 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: has stopped them. So one first hour of the podcast 30 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: posted after four o'clock. All right, now, let's get to 31 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: two women we're going to talk to, and we're going 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: to talk to Shauna Dawson Beer with a group called 33 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: Beautiful Alta Dina Community Organizer. Well, I guess she is 34 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: a Beautiful Alta Dina Community Organizer. It's the same of 35 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: the Beautiful Alta Deans, I guess the name of the organization. 36 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: And then the block captain of out Together, Lauren Randolph, 37 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: that they're both upset with as many people in Altadena 38 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: are with La County's nonsense after action report on the 39 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: Eton fire, the Alta Dina fire, and you know, killed 40 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: nineteen people and a lot of people were never evacuated, 41 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: never warned, never even got an alert. Warnings went to 42 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: elsewhere in the county, went to the wrong people. The 43 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: people who were supposed to get it never got it, 44 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: and that's how you end up with nineteen people losing 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: their lives. And this after action report was done by 46 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: a general. It's the the Crystal Group, and it's it's 47 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: a complete whitewash. It points the finger at nobody. Nobody's 48 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: held responsible, nobody's guilty, and the public, the public in 49 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: Altadena is just not going to stand for it. And 50 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: they want Rob BoNT To, the Attorney General, to do 51 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: an investigation. Well, I don't know, I Falton. If he's 52 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: going to investigate a democratic Democratic officials and Democratic politicians, 53 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: we'll see. But let's get SHAWNA. Dawson Bieran, Shawn are 54 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: you there, I'm here? And Lauren Randolph Lauren are you there? 55 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 3: I'm here? 56 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: And Shanna give me the name of your organization again 57 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: and your and your role there. 58 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 4: You got it right, It's beautiful, Aldandina. We are a 59 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 4: decade old community group here in Altadena that reaches almost 60 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 4: twenty thousand of our forty thousand neighbors. 61 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: And Lauren, maybe your group is out together. 62 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 3: Yes, I'm all together Block Captain. Block Captains were formed 63 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 3: after the Eaten Fire to support our neighbors and keep 64 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: our neighborhood connected. So I'm a block captain and a 65 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 3: total loss survivor of the Eating Fire. 66 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 2: All right, I talk to both of you. Start with Shawna. 67 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,119 Speaker 1: Shawna, what was your reaction to this, uh, this after 68 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: action report from them, the Crystal Group. 69 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 3: Well for starters. 70 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 4: I was a bit surprised by the timing of the 71 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 4: report being dropped, simply because it should have come months ago. 72 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 4: Then there was absolute silence about it, and once the 73 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 4: community really started poking around, this report miraculously appeared last 74 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 4: week without any notification to Community Org or to the 75 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 4: media or any of the usual things you would expect 76 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 4: to happen. As with the report itself, you know, as 77 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 4: I think you saw, you know, some of our statements 78 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 4: from this that our press conference, our community press conference. 79 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 4: It's it's wildly incomplete. It is full of inaccuracies, it's 80 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 4: got major holes, It missing data from agencies that refuse 81 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 4: to even participate, and frankly, it doesn't go nearly far 82 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 4: enough beyond that, it's just a report. It's not an 83 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 4: actual investigations and it's not an actionable document that gives 84 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 4: us any kind of accountability. It's not about pointing fingers 85 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 4: of blame, but clearly multiple parties blew it and someone 86 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 4: needs to be responsible. Altabina deserves accountability, we deserve justice, 87 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 4: and we deserve meaningful change because you know, this time 88 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 4: it was up. Next time it's going to be another 89 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 4: La County community. 90 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 2: And Lauren, how do you feel about the report? 91 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 3: You know a lot of the same of what Shawna said. 92 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 3: It's not complete, It's lacking so much detail. It's completely 93 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 3: overlooking the black and brown voices of West sal Sadina 94 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: who were not evacuated and who did not get evacuation warnings. 95 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 3: It completely leaves out all of the nine to one 96 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 3: to one call reports and data that came in saying 97 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 3: that the fire was being practiced at satellite, but ignoring 98 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 3: actual human accounts of seeing fire houses on fire, neighborhoods burning. 99 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 3: So it feels a little bit like a slap in 100 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 3: the face for something that was supposed to totally give us 101 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 3: closure and help understand what happened. It literally, it just 102 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: gives us more questions of what went wrong and why 103 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 3: was it? A deeper investigation and follow up questions asked 104 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: to actually get answers so we could have real change 105 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 3: reform so this doesn't happen again. 106 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: So there's no explanation in this report, Lauren, as to 107 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: why West Altadena got zero warning for some neighborhoods and 108 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: no evacuation was done. 109 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 3: No, no, there's no good reason. There's a lot of 110 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 3: dancing around it saying, you know, well, we were looking 111 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 3: at the fire on satellite, and the satellite didn't show 112 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,799 Speaker 3: it in West sal Sadina until later, and that suddenly 113 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 3: did evacuation warnings. 114 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 4: Yet at two. 115 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 3: Eighteen in the morning, it was the fire was seen 116 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 3: on Farnsworth's part, which is right on lake right on 117 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 3: the border of West Faltadina. But YETIVAK warnings that it 118 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 3: comes till three twenty five, an hour and twelve minutes 119 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 3: after the fire had already hit according to them satellite. 120 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: But long before that there were nine to one one 121 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 3: calls from residents all throughout West Faltadina saying they were 122 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: seeing fire asking if they should evacuate. 123 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: Sean, it was there any explanation why warnings were going 124 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: elsewhere in La County that weren't under threat. I mean, 125 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: we even got them here in Burbank at KFI that day, right. 126 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 4: I managed to get one in when I was in 127 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 4: Long Beach at three thirty in the morning, after my 128 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 4: entire street had been burning for an hour. It is 129 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 4: the big question that remains unanswered, kind of like how 130 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 4: and why just a few've b wocked out of us 131 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 4: On the Pasadena side of the border. They managed to 132 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 4: get sheriff's cars out to alert people with bullhorns. They 133 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 4: had public buses following them to evacuate people in our communities. 134 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 4: People went to sleep, They saw fire engines, whyatly roll 135 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 4: up and then leave and assumed because there was no 136 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 4: evacuation and all of the first responders were leaving the 137 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 4: area that night at seven, eight, nine, ten pm, then 138 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 4: it was for them to go to bed, and they did. 139 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 4: And I shuddered to think how many hundreds, if not thousands, 140 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 4: of people would be dead if we had not blocked 141 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 4: by block taking care of each other and our neighbors. 142 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 4: Because that's the kind of community we have. 143 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: We saved ourselves and no explanation to one hundred and 144 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: thirty two pages, This is among the most important things 145 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: that the both of you and everybody else in Altadena 146 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: want to know about. And there's nothing to satisfy all 147 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: the questions you have. 148 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 4: There is worse, Absolutely not, I would say worse. If 149 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 4: anyone wants to be entertained. Take a look at page 150 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 4: sixty five, where this report has the gall to blame 151 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 4: the victims and to specifically state that people refused to 152 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 4: or were emotionally inclined not to leave their homes and 153 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 4: evacuate because of their generational wealth and their attachment to 154 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 4: their generational wealth. 155 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 2: Are you here? Could you hold on? 156 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 4: I want to. 157 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:10,319 Speaker 3: Pick up on that. 158 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: I got to do the news and when we come back, 159 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: I want to pick up right there. We're talking with 160 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 1: Lauren Randolph, she's with the group out Together, and Shauna 161 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: Dawson Beer, she's with Beautiful Altadena, and they are among 162 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: many in Altadena who were furious with this La County. 163 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 2: After Action report. 164 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,479 Speaker 1: That told them nothing as to why they didn't get alerts, warnings, 165 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: why they weren't evacuations. And you just heard there's a 166 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: paragraph in there that says, well, people who who burned, 167 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: it's their fault they didn't want to leave the house. 168 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 2: They're emotionally attached. Oh that's outrageous. 169 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM 170 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 5: six forty. 171 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: All right, we continue talking with two women from I'm 172 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: Alta Dina, Shauna Dawson Beer. She's with a group the 173 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: name is Beautiful Alta. Dina and Lauren Randolph out together. 174 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: They are leaders in their organizations and they are not happy, 175 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: to say the least, with this after action report from 176 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: La County. It took nine months, one hundred and thirty 177 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: two pages from the Crystal Group led by a former general, 178 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 1: and there was just no a responsibility was assigned to 179 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: nobody as to why there was such a botched response 180 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 1: to the fire, especially regarding warnings and evacuations, because nineteen 181 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: people died. Let's pick it up again with Shauna and Lauren. 182 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: And when we left you, I want you to read 183 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: that piece again, Lauren, were you the one who read it? 184 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 2: I forget which of the. 185 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 4: It was me? Shauna. I don't have it in front 186 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 4: of me to read it verbatim. But on page sixty 187 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 4: five there is a blurb that to the effects as 188 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 4: people chose not to leave because they were comfortable with 189 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 4: their garden hoses, and in some cases because they were 190 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 4: emotionally attached to their generational wealth and didn't want to go, 191 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 4: which could not be more far from the truth, more 192 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 4: insulting to survivors, more disrespectful to those who died in 193 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 4: their homes, in dismissive and obnoxious and wholly untrue. Right, 194 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 4: this is not what happened. People got no warning. That's it. 195 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: Emotionally tacky comment about. 196 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: About somebody who inherited a house, that's what you say 197 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: after the house burned down and they were trying to 198 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 1: put it out with their own hose because the fire department. 199 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 2: Was in there. 200 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 4: Exactly, It's wild. I want to add real quick, just 201 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 4: for all the listeners out there, that Lauren and I, 202 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 4: while we are with our respective wards and were both 203 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 4: total lost fire survivors, we both lived west of Lake, 204 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 4: we are also part very importantly of a coalition of neighbors, 205 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 4: community groups, organizers, civil rights groups called ALTA Demons for Accountability, 206 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 4: and that is how we ended up here today. As 207 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 4: we staged a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the 208 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 4: meeting with the Board of Supervisors to discuss this report. 209 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 4: Once we found out it was going to drop to 210 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 4: communicate just how insufficient this was, and to make very 211 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 4: clear our communities demand for a full investigation with the 212 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 4: pena power and the only one who can do that 213 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 4: is our Attorney General. La Bonta call on Rob Bonta 214 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 4: to do what needs to be done. 215 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: Out to Dana for accountability. So, Lauren, you you're you're 216 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: you're going to be meeting with the Bard of Supervisors tomorrow. 217 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 3: We don't we don't have the meeting set up, but 218 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 3: we did our We had a press conference yesterday to 219 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 3: counter the narrative of what they were going to talk 220 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 3: about with the report at the at the Border Supervisors meeting. 221 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 2: Have you seen that? 222 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: I mean, have you Have you been able to contact 223 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 1: these five supervisors? 224 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 2: Have they reached out to you? 225 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: Has anybody explained why this report was was such a joke? 226 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 3: We have sent a letter, I will nobody's reached out 227 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 3: to us. We sent a letter giving demanding to me. 228 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 3: I'm okay, yeah. 229 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 4: No, no, please you go ahead, Laurence. 230 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 3: Well, I was going to say it. So what happened 231 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 3: to It's actually interesting as well. This report dropped last Thursday, 232 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 3: and initial response and feedbacks from the board seemed to 233 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 3: be well, there's no one person to blame. It's systematic failures. 234 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 3: But they seem to be supportive initially of the report, 235 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 3: and then we had our press conference at eight am 236 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 3: prior to their meeting on Tuesday, and in watching the 237 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 3: Board of Supervisors meeting, it sounds like the tune has 238 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 3: changed and that they're now questioning the validity of the 239 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 3: report and what's missing and why it wasn't a more 240 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 3: thorough account of what happened that night. 241 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: Well, that's kind of a that's a weird dodge. There's 242 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: not one person to blame. Obviously, there's a lot of 243 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: people who failed in their duty in their job, a 244 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: lot of them, and they should all be spotlighted. They 245 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: should all have to explain it to public hearing. Clearly, 246 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: a lot of these people did not talk to each other. 247 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: The planning was terrible, the execution was worse. The communication 248 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: lapses were tremendous. Of course, it's not just one person. 249 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: That's a that's a way to dodge so that nobody 250 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: is held responsible exactly. 251 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 4: That is one thing the report actually did say was 252 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 4: that it was a you know, a catastrophic cascade of 253 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 4: failures that they couldn't point the figure because so many 254 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 4: things aren't wrong, including the fact that they clearly state 255 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 4: that there was no plan. How is there no plan 256 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 4: for in one of the largest cities in the country. 257 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 4: Alcadina is an part of unincorporated County. We are the 258 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 4: fifth district, which comprises two million people and has a 259 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 4: fifty two billion dollar budget, of which Altadina pumps at 260 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 4: least three hundred million dollars annually. Improper pretty taxed. Somebody 261 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 4: helped me out with a map as to how that 262 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 4: doesn't buy you emergency planning. 263 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: In a response, they talk about being a systemic failure. 264 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: But these are people who make. 265 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: Up the system, but they use these generic words concepts 266 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: to hide behind. 267 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 2: No who are the players in the system? 268 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: Is there a department that should have had an evacuation plan, 269 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: for an example, a warning plan? I mean, well, there's 270 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: got to be somebody running that. There's got to be 271 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: a second in command. There's got to be people who 272 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: are on duty that night. 273 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 2: Who are they? 274 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: And why didn't one of them say, Hey, why don't 275 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: we send out a warning to West Altadena? 276 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 2: Everybody's asleep there? 277 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I completely agree. And you know, we 278 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 3: have an office of emergency management that works with the 279 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 3: sheriffs and the fire And after the Looseley fire in 280 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen, there was an after action report that really 281 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 3: laid bare a lot of the infant is sufficiencies and 282 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 3: how unprepared we are for these types of disasters. And 283 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 3: yet again here we are in twenty twenty five and 284 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 3: nothing has changed. 285 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: Well, they should meet with you immediately tomorrow and they 286 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: should start explaining in detail and name names and describe 287 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: the system and describe exactly when it failed, who failed, 288 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: how it failed. Everything they know. I'm sure they know 289 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: by now, and if they don't know, they ought to 290 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: be shamed of themselves because they've had nine months to 291 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: figure it out. 292 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 2: Listen, can we keep in touch? 293 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: And I because I obviously you and many others in 294 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: this group, Altadena for Accountability is going to keep going 295 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: after the supervisors and anybody else. Oh and you want 296 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: Rob Bonta to investigate. Let's spend a minute on that. 297 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 4: Yes, we do, because as our attorney General is the 298 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 4: only one with subpoena power to actually get a full 299 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 4: investigation with teeths Because right now, a number of department, 300 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 4: including the Eli Sheriff's Department, where Sheriff Luna is effectively 301 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:09,959 Speaker 4: in charge of emergency response with OEM did not supply 302 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 4: data for this report, which is uncomfortable. There's no words 303 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 4: for that. How is there no transparency in data being 304 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 4: supplied so that we can correct mistakes that were made? So, 305 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 4: you know, we need to have a real investigation, and 306 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,479 Speaker 4: that's what we call on the Attorney General to do that. 307 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 4: And I know you mentioned John that like, will will 308 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 4: they do this? Will they investigate in the Democratic city? 309 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 4: And I'm want to say that this one is actually 310 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 4: in many ways it's a political as far as following 311 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 4: Democratic and Republican lines. People like to blame you know, 312 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 4: point fingers, bass news them, et cetera. But you know, 313 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 4: we're not La City, We're La County. Our representative is 314 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 4: actually a Republican. Yeah, you know it many fails. 315 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 1: It should be, it should be non nonpartisan. It's just 316 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: I haven't seen Rob Bonta go after anybody else in 317 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: politics if there was anybody in his own party that 318 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: was in any way connected to this. And I realized 319 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: it's a more mixed situation in your district. All right, listen, 320 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 1: let's keep in touch and we want to know how 321 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 1: this progresses because I think the pressure has to be 322 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: kept on relentlessly. 323 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 3: Here we agree that's our plan. Thank you. 324 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: Okay, anytime you need to come on, just let us know. 325 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: This is Lauren Randolph with the group out together Shauna 326 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: Dawson Beer from Beautiful Altadena and their groups are part 327 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: of a larger organization now formed called Altadena for Accountability, 328 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 1: and they say that the after action report on this 329 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: Altadena fire is just way off the mark here. It 330 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: doesn't explain anything as to why they weren't warnings and 331 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: alerts and evacuations and just the general response to the fire. 332 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 2: It was terrible. Thank you both for coming on. 333 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 4: Thank you John, Thank you Bill. 334 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 2: You're welcome. And listen. We read these names all the time. 335 00:18:55,320 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: Hildes Salize, Catherine Barger, Janis Han, Lindsey Horvath, All Mitchell. 336 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: They all belong in the Hall of Shame for accepting 337 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: this report. They should have they should have thrown this 338 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: back in the face of the the Crystal Group and 339 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: say this is crap. There's nothing in here that explains anything, 340 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: but of course did they want it that way? Why 341 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: is so much data being withheld? How can Robert Luna 342 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,479 Speaker 1: run for reelection to La County Sheriff, and he's not 343 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: releasing any data as to his department's role in the 344 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,199 Speaker 1: in the terrible tragic response to the fire and the 345 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: evacuate evacuation warnings, because the sheriff department normally would have 346 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: a great role to play in getting people out, and 347 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: they think they're just going to go silent and have 348 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: it blow over. I'm not gonna blow over. So these five, 349 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: these five you guys are in trouble. 350 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobel's on demand from KFI Am 351 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 5: six forty. 352 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: Run every day from one until four o'clock. 353 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: After four o'clock John Cobelts Show on demand Moistline eight 354 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: seven seven, Moistating six eight seven seven, Moist eighty six 355 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: for Friday, or you use the talkback feature on the 356 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app. Whatever happened to the automated people mover at 357 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 1: LAX This was supposed to be installed, opened in twenty 358 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: twenty three. This was They called it a people mover. 359 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: When I first heard this, I wasn't quite sure what 360 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: it was. Was it like, uh, don't you remember they 361 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 1: had a people move or at Disneyland. 362 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like a train or a trim. Yeah, yeah, 363 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: but it made it's not like a people. 364 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: Mover, is like a rolling like when you're in the 365 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: airport and you stand on those those flats. 366 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, that moved bayor belts. Yes, yeah, I. 367 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: Thought they were installing a long conveyor belt. But this 368 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: really was going to be a train, and it was 369 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: going to connect all the airport terminals to the metro 370 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 1: system and to the rental car center because there is 371 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: no there is no connection at all from the trains 372 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: to the airport, which was incredibly stupid, and there's no 373 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 1: The rental car place is like ways away from the 374 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: airport and it's just lax. Is one of the most 375 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: badly designed airports I've ever seen in my life. I've 376 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: been to a number of them, just this summer. It's like, wow, 377 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: you know, I forgot we don't have a train. You know. 378 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: If I go to Tampa, they got a train, change 379 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: planes in Dallas they got a train. Everybody's got something. 380 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 1: And LA should have opened it in twenty twenty three. 381 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: Guess what. 382 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: According to NPR, it was now going to open in 383 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: early twenty twenty six. 384 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 2: Now it's pushed back till. 385 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: Juna twenty twenty six and it's almost a billion dollars 386 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: over budget. Now it's it's not complicated, it's a short distance. 387 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: It's something that you know, probably hundreds of airports have 388 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:56,360 Speaker 1: around the country. 389 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: It's just a tram. 390 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: And they wanted to get this done for the World Cup, 391 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 1: the soccer tournament, and now they don't know. Now they say, well, oh, 392 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: we have a backup plan. What you don't have a 393 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: backup plan. You either have the train ready or you don't. 394 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 1: It's only two and a quarter miles, that's all they 395 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: had to do. It's an elevated train. Back in twenty eighteen, 396 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: the city council approved a five billion dollar contract with 397 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: a company called Lynxis l Anxs and they were going 398 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: to design it, build it, finance it, operate it, maintain 399 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: it for thirty years five billion, and instead of being 400 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: ready in twenty twenty three, is now three years late. 401 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: It's almost a billion over budget, and it's not going 402 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: to be ready for the for the tournament. Now they're 403 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: not going to get anything ready for the Olympics either. 404 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, that's twenty twenty eight. Yeah, they have maybe 405 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 2: a week or two before. 406 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 3: Do you know they have. 407 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: Two hundred and nine separate disputes that they have to 408 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 1: settle with the airport agency LA World Airports and the 409 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 1: company links us two hundred and nine different claims they 410 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: have already. The city has paid more than two hundred 411 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: million dollars to settle an old listed disputes two hundred million. 412 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: The The work has been so slow that the credit 413 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: rating agency downgraded the prospects for this project, which of 414 00:23:54,119 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: course raises the interest costs. As time goes on, they 415 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,719 Speaker 1: say it looks less and less likely the debt's going 416 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: to be paid off. Pitch Ratings is the name of it. 417 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: It's a third party credit agency. The project has experienced 418 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: extended construction delays, prolonged dispute resolution difficulties in the party's 419 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: working relationship. But have they all just been arguing for 420 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: the last seven years, And the report said this put 421 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: pressure on the city to resolve the disputes quickly so 422 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: they could start. They haven't been building it very much 423 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 1: because everybody's fighting in the offices. So eventually they have 424 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: agreed now to a global settlement resolving all the disputes 425 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:58,400 Speaker 1: five hundred and fifty million dollars, and then maybe they're 426 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: going to have passenger service by the middle of next year, 427 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: maybe in time for the World Cup, maybe not. Why 428 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: is everybody so incompetent in Los Angeles? What do they 429 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: do all day when they when they conceive these projects 430 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: like this is like high speed rail, This is another version. 431 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: This is a miniature version of high speed rail. What 432 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: is wrong with everybody in the state. There isn't a 433 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: single project that gets built efficiently, on time and on budget. 434 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 2: Nothing. They can't even build. 435 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: A traffic light, they can't pay the sidewalk nothing. Other 436 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: states don't have this problem. Other countries don't have this problem. 437 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: You've been to Japan? 438 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,199 Speaker 2: I have not. Oh you should go, I'd like to. 439 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 2: I was supposed to go, and then the pandemic hit. 440 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,239 Speaker 1: They have great high school. Oh that's right, another one. 441 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 1: I always forget that one that should be on the list. 442 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 1: I got to write down the list. Have blown vacations, Yeah, 443 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: that was one of them, all right. Japan is great 444 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: high speed rail. Italy has great high speed rail. All 445 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: of Europe, Spain, I know, does China does. I've just 446 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 1: seen video of it. But we're the only one that 447 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: has nothing. Seventeen years nothing and then they've done seven 448 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: years this is two and a quarter miles. 449 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 2: This is a tram. 450 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: This is a tram to connect the terminals, the rental 451 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 1: car center and a metro station. 452 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 2: And again it's like everything else. 453 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: It's like when we were talking today the two organizers 454 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: from Altadena over the botched fire response and the botched evacuation. 455 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 2: You have these stories. There's no names. 456 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:57,880 Speaker 1: Nobody's ever publicly publicly embarrassed, nobody's ever publicly fired, nobody's 457 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: ever forced to pay back for damages for being terrible 458 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: at their job. It's just crazy, all right. When we 459 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: come back there, you know, in Minnesota there has been 460 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: a lot of Somali migrants that have been settled. There's 461 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 1: actually a tremendous amount, with Ilhan and Omar being the 462 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: most famous. The congresswoman and now federal officials have done 463 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: a massive investigation and found that nearly half of all 464 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: immigrants in Greater Minneapolis, many of them Somalis. There's one 465 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: hundred thousand Somali immigrants in Minnesota. Nearly half of the 466 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: immigrants in Greater Minneapolis were involved in some kind of 467 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: immigration fraud. This is what they've led in through the 468 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 1: Biden administration for a number of years. Tell you more 469 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: about it, we come back. 470 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobelts on demand from KFI AM six. 471 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: Forty after four o'clock, rather the podcast John Cobelts Show 472 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: on demand on the iHeart app, and you should listen 473 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: to the one o'clock hour, specifically the first hour, because 474 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: we spent the entire time on this among the insurance 475 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: commissioner Ricardo Lara, we know him as calpart Lara Herecardo 476 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: Lara has spent an enormous amount of tax money, hundreds 477 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: of thousands of dollars on forty eight trips, most of 478 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:43,479 Speaker 1: them has nothing to do with government or insurance. The 479 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 1: insurance commissioner right, insurance industry in the state is completely broken. 480 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 2: It's a total disaster. 481 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: He flies around the world for pleasure and charges us 482 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: massive bills, tens of thousands of dollars for private security, 483 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: and he goes on a two week safari in South Africa. 484 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: He goes to Pride Week in New York City. Again, 485 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: there's no insurance business going on from most of these trips, 486 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: and he went to Bogota, Columbia for another conference on 487 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: gay politicians. Tens of thousands of dollars in private security, 488 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: five star hotels, incredible luxury, all charged to US. Channel 489 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 1: seven up in San Francisco. ABC seven did an extensive report. 490 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: You listened to art analysis of it as we played 491 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: it coming up in the podcast. 492 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: All Right. 493 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: Final thing, the federal government announced this week. I don't 494 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: know if you know this, but there's one hundred thousand 495 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: people from Somalia living in Minnesota, most of them in 496 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: the Greater Minneapolis area, and federal officials this week said 497 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: that nearly half, nearly half of all the immigrants in 498 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: the Greater Minneapolis area committed some form of immigration fraud. 499 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: They did a sweep in September. They found sham marriages, 500 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: fake death certificates, and bizarre schemes. As far back as 501 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight, the State Department temporarily suspended one 502 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: of the family you reutificaation programs used by Somali immigrants 503 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: because they did DNA testing and found that eighty percent 504 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: of all the claimed family relationships were fake. Nobody was 505 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: related to each other. You know, it's called chain migration. 506 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: Somebody gets here for some reason and then you could 507 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: start getting your relatives a free pass. Well, eighty percent 508 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: of these relatives weren't relatives. 509 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 2: Imagine this. 510 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: And this article in the Post focuses on ilhan Omar, 511 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: and this story has been around a while, but it 512 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: gives you an idea what's going on. 513 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 2: She married her brother to get him legal papers. 514 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: She was actually married to a guy named Ahmed nor 515 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: Sa'id Elmi. No, that's her brother. She married him and 516 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: she had a real husband. She religiously married the father 517 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: of her children. I'm ad hersy you follow this. This 518 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: is a congresswoman and this has been reported on for years. 519 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: It's gotten away with it. So the father of her children, 520 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: she's religiously married to. The person she was legally married 521 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: to was her brother. And it was all over immigration fraud. 522 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: You should read this whole story. And the thing is 523 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: what j han Omar did was only one example of 524 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 1: maybe maybe tens of thousands of examples. They were involved 525 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: in all kinds of These immigrants were involved in the 526 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: largest COVID fraud discovered so far in the United States, 527 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: an organization called Feeding Our Future Losses to taxpayers exceeded 528 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty million dollars. This is all out 529 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: of Minneapolis. The US attorney Joe Thompson, who prosecuted. The 530 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: feeding our future cases that have gone to trial. Estimates 531 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: that these frauds run into the billions of dollars, billions 532 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: of dollars worth of Medicare fraud, COVID fraud. Boy, A 533 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: lot of rocks are being overturned with this Trump administration. 534 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: It is and overwhelming how much criminal activity has pervaded 535 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 1: the entire system. We'll talk more tomorrow. We've got Conway 536 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: up next, and we've got Michael Kurzer with the news 537 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: live in the KFI twenty four hour newsroom. 538 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 2: Hey, you've been listening to the John Cobalt Show podcast. 539 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: You can always hear the show live on KFI Am 540 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, 541 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 1: and of course, anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.