1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: Can't. I am six forty. You're listening to the John 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Cobelt podcast on the iHeartRadio app. We're on every day 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: from one until four o'clock and then after four o'clock 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: John Cobelt's show on demand on the iHeart app Welcome. 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: This is really turned into a pathetic soap opera. All 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: the characters involved in city government who were responsible for 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: the fire or who are supposed to be responsible for 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: the alleged recovery, and they are squabbling like a bunch 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: of school children. And I tell you one of the biggest, 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: one of the biggest disappointments is this guy, Steve Soberoff, 11 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: Holy mackerel. He's seventy seven years old. And I emphasize 12 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: his age because usually you've matured somewhat and you have 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: a lot of experience and you know how the world 14 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: really works. And in his case, he's got a buttload 15 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: of money, right, so life is good no matter what happens. 16 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: And he was Karen bass pick to oversee the recovery. 17 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: Later on we find out he was given five hundred 18 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: thousand dollars, or at least that was the offer to 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 1: be paid from some mystery philanthropic nonprofit five hundred thousand dollars. 20 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: Then we found out he was only gonna work for 21 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: ninety days, so three months and five hundred thousand dollars, 22 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: and then well, what is it is he? What's he 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: doing anyway, because right now you just mostly have the 24 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: federal government scraping up debris, putting it into you know, 25 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: with payloaders, and dumping it into trucks and carrying it 26 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: out of town. I mean, that's all you can do. 27 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: You collect all the debris that didn't burn completely, and 28 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: then you start scraping up three inches of soil to 29 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: get a lot of the contaminants out. So I don't 30 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: know exactly what he's overseeing. And when people found out 31 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: he was getting five hundred thousand dollars, which they did 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: not admit to at the beginning, you see, they covered 33 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: that up and they still this day covered up who 34 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: was supposed to pay for it. So the whole thing 35 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: is starting to smell. And then you know, we had 36 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: a private tape that we played on the air that 37 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: sober Off gave to wealthy guys, wealthy Hollywood guys agents, 38 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: giving them information that he didn't share with the rest 39 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: of the public, like don't drink the water no matter 40 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: what the DWP says, don't trust it, don't let your 41 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: kids drink it, don't bathe your baby in it, that 42 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, and some real estate advice, you know, 43 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: hold on for a year, don't sell now, because a 44 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: year from now or after all the government money pours in, 45 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: you'll get triple the offer. Again not sharing that with 46 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: the rest of the public. Now, he goes over to 47 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: Harvard Westlake, where all his kids went to school, from 48 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: what I understand from this story, and he spoke before 49 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: an alumni group at Harvard Westlake, and somebody recorded him 50 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: there and he starts bitching about the elephant in the room, 51 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: which was the five hundred thousand dollars for ninety days work. 52 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: And he at Harvard Westlake, he said he found himself 53 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: at a point where he had no money and no 54 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 1: contract to do the work. So then I found out 55 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: that they really didn't have the money. And then I 56 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: found out that I really did have the personal bills. 57 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: I don't know what that means. And there was one 58 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: of two things to do, go public and quit and 59 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: say I was lied to. Here's my emails, here's my texts, 60 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: here's all this blape, he told the group, or tell 61 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 1: them I'll do it for free and hope it comes 62 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: around later on. Now, he really did not want to 63 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: do any recovery work unless he was being paid a 64 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: half a million dollars for ninety days, which I kind 65 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: of suspected. I got the vibe from this guy that 66 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: when he had to give up the money because Bass 67 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: had so much criticism and everybody was so embarrassed, that 68 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: his heart wouldn't be in it, Like he wasn't doing 69 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: it to rebuild the palisades. I don't think he particularly 70 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: cares he was doing it, because, hey, that's five hundred 71 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: thousand dollars for ninety days work. How many times does 72 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: that happen in your life? If I think about that, 73 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: how many times have you been offered five hundred thousand 74 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: dollars for ninety days work? Now these are exact quotes 75 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: because it's off for recording, and then the Times writes 76 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: by Monday, sober Off changed course, telling the Times he 77 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: did not think that the mayor had lied or intentionally 78 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: misled him. That was not what I feel and not 79 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: what I meant. Well, what you said is should I 80 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: go public and quit and say I was lied to. 81 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: Here's my emails, here's my text, here's all this bleep. 82 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: In other words, I have the evidence that they had 83 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: promised me many days work for five hundred thousand dollars. 84 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: I love the phrase sober off is walking back those comments. 85 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: What do you mean walk back comments? You said it, 86 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: you meant it when you said it, you thought you 87 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: were talking privately and you didn't know you were being recorded. 88 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: I would so much love a guy who would say, yeah, 89 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: I did say that. Yeah, that's how I felt. I 90 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: meant it. I wanted the money. I took it for 91 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: the money. He's complaining he wanted the money because he 92 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: was passing on He's a I guess a consultant of 93 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: some kind, and he was passing up other work, private 94 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 1: sector work that paid well. But it's every day there's something, 95 00:05:55,560 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: and meantime, you know, we're Caruso. He's got a huge 96 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: team of business leaders and entertainment people and they're actually 97 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: going to be putting up like a hundred modular homes 98 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: for one hundred people who are are most in need 99 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: and work from there. And there's all kinds of plans 100 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: to lay down, to lay down infrastructure such as modern 101 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: water pipes, not a nineteen forty two version of what 102 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: Los Angeles had for a water system, but maybe a 103 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five version. And also burying the trans electrical 104 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: transmission lines, which has to be done everywhere all over 105 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: the state. That's a must every driving to a town. 106 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: And we have these in our neighborhood. It looks so antiquated, 107 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: these old wooden poles with all these wires coming out, 108 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: some of the thick black wires. They have these metal containers. 109 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: They look like gigantic garbage cans on top of the poles. 110 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: It's like, my god, this really like I know, my 111 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: neighborhood was first developed in the nineteen forties and we 112 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: still have the original electrical equipment. It looks like it's 113 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: from the nineteen forties and all kinds of wires criss 114 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: crossing all over the place, and everybody's trees are tangled 115 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: up in them. You know, people don't People either don't 116 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: trim their trees or the city doesn't trim the trees 117 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: often enough. 118 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 2: Sounds like you're talking about my neighborhood. 119 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, all cities that way and don't. Wouldn't electrical poles 120 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: look ridiculously antiquated. 121 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean again, we've talked about it. I don't 122 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: understand why everything is not underground. 123 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: Because they don't want to spend the money. I know 124 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: they want to keep the money for profits. 125 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 2: Okay, so then when houses burned down, Oh but still 126 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 2: then they're still going to pass the costs on to us. 127 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: We wouldn't have half these fires if the wires were underground. 128 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: That's what pisses me off. When all these left wing 129 00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: jackass jackasses. I'd be careful. 130 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: You do you need to find your edit? 131 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: I know, I know it's jammed. Yeah, oh it's global warming. 132 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: It's like, shut up. Why didn't you, as as a governor, 133 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: a mayor council person, get in the twenty first century 134 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: and sign a deal and have all the electric wires 135 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: buried underground? All right, that's what modern cities do. Electrical 136 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: wires are buried underground. Sober Off Current at the Times 137 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: repeatedly pointed out he gave up lucrative consulting work to 138 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: take on this role, and he gave an interview a 139 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 1: few days ago saying he'd always assumed he would be 140 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: paid if I was a billionaire or a one hundred 141 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: millionaire or a twenty millionaire or whatever. I probably would 142 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: have done this for free from the beginning, but I wasn't. 143 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: I'm not, and I didn't, and I had to give 144 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: up things that were going to be helpful to me. 145 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,079 Speaker 1: He's actually pleading poor. And the same story is that 146 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: he sent five kids to Harvard Westling. 147 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 2: Yeah you know how expensive that school is? 148 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: Well, you know, yeah, we didn't go there. But now 149 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: it's sixty thousand dollars according to the Times, sixty thousand 150 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 1: dollars per per kit, per kid, per year, per kid. Yeah. 151 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: Soberoff said Bass called him on February eighth when the 152 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: news broke about his half million dollars, and Bass asked 153 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 1: him if he could make adjustments to his salary, and 154 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: he thinks the mayor did so after learning that the 155 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: Foundations that were expected to cover his salary were now 156 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: looks like backing out. Soberoff said he was told by 157 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: someone in the mayor's office that the Foundations were resisting 158 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: the idea of giving money to his salary. His understanding 159 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: was the Foundations had been unaware what the money would 160 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: be used for and found the specifics to be unacceptable. 161 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,079 Speaker 1: So what kind of scam was pulling on these foundations, 162 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 1: and we still don't know what the foundations were. But 163 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: he's telling she's telling sober Off, don't worry. It's not 164 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: not tax money. The foundations are donating money what to 165 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: some mayor's firefund, and she's not saying specifically where it's 166 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: going to go. She didn't say, well, it's to pay 167 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: Steve sober Off a half million dollars, who, by the way, 168 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: is really rich. Okay, I mean he helped get the 169 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: the Staples Center constructed. He also developed Applia del Rey District. 170 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: So the foundations didn't know that half million dollars, half million, 171 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:45,599 Speaker 1: half million dollars of their money was going to go 172 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: to Steve sober Off. Sober Off said he never directly 173 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: asked Basque if it was true that the city did 174 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: not have the philanthropic funding to pay him. He called 175 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: the mayor back and offered to work for free, but 176 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: only after concluding that the city lacked the funds. Well, 177 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: of course, the city its self lacked the funds. The 178 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: city is broke. That's not discussed, but trust me, it's 179 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: completely broke. It doesn't know how to pay its bills 180 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: because they've blown way too much money on raises for 181 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: all the riffraff city employees, oh excuse me, devoted public servants, 182 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: and not to mention over a billion dollars for the 183 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: vagrants and drug addicts. More coming up. 184 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 3: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM 185 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 3: six forty. 186 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: So we're talking about this Steve Soberoff, the Big Savior, 187 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 1: who was complaining at a Harvard Westlake alumni meeting that 188 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 1: he feels lied to by Karen Bass because the five 189 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars was pulled back for the ninety days 190 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: of work that he's supposed to do to start the 191 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: recovery process. And I predicted this. I told you when 192 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: they took away the half million dollars, his heart wasn't 193 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 1: going to be in it. And it wasn't. Can you 194 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: imagine he's actually doing this publicly. Somebody recorded him at 195 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: this meeting, and now he's trying to say, well, I 196 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: didn't really mean that. That's not what I intended to say. 197 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean, it's on tape, buddy. Just admitute. You're pissed, 198 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: and I understand you thought you had a sweet deal 199 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: ninety days of work. You look like a hero. Mostly 200 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: I saw him standing next to Karen Bass providing some 201 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: kind of political secret service protection because everybody hates it 202 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: right now, and so he wanted to stand up and 203 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: be the be the hard driving, competent adult with the 204 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: big booming voice to show that he's in charge. And 205 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: turned out he was just a mercenary. It's like, yeah, okay, 206 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: I'll play this role for ninety days. Give me a 207 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 1: half million. And the plan falls through when the foundations, 208 00:12:55,080 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: the philanthropic nonprofits found out they were giving Steve sober 209 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: Off a half million dollars and they said, what the bleep? 210 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: Nobody told us. So Karen Bass, if you read between 211 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: the lines, as she likes to say, I guess didn't 212 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: tell these organizations that the money that was going to 213 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: go to a millionaire some kind of fire aid, maybe 214 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: fire aid for millionaires. Then here's another character who I've 215 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: been asking about this guy for weeks and he actually 216 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: popped up into the news for exactly five seconds. Karen Bass, 217 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: since she was in Africa, was not the mayor technically 218 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: when the fires broke out, it was the acting mayor. 219 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: LA City Council President Marquise Harris Dawson. Is that Marquise 220 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: or Marquise. I've heard Marquise, where's that coming from? Marquise 221 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: Harris Dawson, And so he was technically in charge, but 222 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: I have not seen any explanation of his role. Did 223 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: he call Kristin Crowley? Did Crowley call him? Was he 224 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: part of a meeting because of Bass's body clock is 225 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: upside down in Africa and Ghana. Well, at least Marquis 226 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: is in town here in the same time zone, and 227 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: things are happening in real time in front of his face. 228 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: So what did he do? What decisions did he make? 229 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: Was he aware of the thousand firefighters being sent home, 230 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: the forty engines being kept in the garage? Was he 231 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: aware of any of that, that the hillsides were not 232 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: manned with fire trucks and firefighters as the wind started 233 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: blowing on January seventh, Well, suddenly he's popped up to 234 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: defend Karen Bass against the criticism over here, hiring Kristin 235 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: Crowley play this little clip. The people of Los Angeles 236 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: elected the mayor to make these calls, and I'm the supporter. 237 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: We elected the mayor to be in Los Angeles when 238 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: the worst fire in the history of the city breaks out, 239 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: We didn't elect the mayor to fly to Africa to 240 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: arrange a consulate for the nation of Ghana. And we 241 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: found that out yesterday courtesy to some leaked audio tape 242 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: involving one of Bass's aides, international relations expert what was 243 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: his name, Boz's last name, Alexander Bose. Yeah, Alexander Bose 244 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: was patiently explaining to an undercover reporter that you know, 245 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: this is a very important strategic trip because we want 246 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: to get all these African consulates in Los Angeles. It's like, oh, sure, 247 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: that's what you were elected for. No, we didn't. We 248 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: didn't elect her to make a decision like this when 249 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: it was when she has not copped to her role. 250 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: If you fire Crowley, Bass has got to go too. 251 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: Bass is way more responsible because she's in charge. She's 252 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: in charge of Crowley, and she should have called Crowley 253 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: and she should have had meetings and plans and be 254 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: part of the extensive negotiations on how we're gonna deal 255 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: with the fire, not trying to get a consulate from 256 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: Ghana established. So where was Marquise Harris Dawson if basses 257 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: out in Africa, where is he? What did he do? 258 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: What time did he go to bed on the night 259 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: of January sixth, because by then even Bass put out 260 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: the warning, did he was he aware of the warning? 261 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: It's weird that he stayed quiet for six weeks and 262 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: he's only popped off now after Bass has fired, Mark 263 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: fired Crowley And as if people don't have enough trouble, 264 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: We'll get to this later on. Do you know that 265 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: there are tow truck bandits targeting LA fire victims and 266 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: during during the days after the fire, towing their cars randomly. 267 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: You are not gonna believe. How did this go on? 268 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 1: And some of these guys had been caught before doing this, 269 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 1: but I guess they didn't go to jail for very long. 270 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 3: All that ahead, you're listening to John Cobel's on demand 271 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 3: from KFI AM sixty. 272 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: John Cobelts Show camp I AM six forty Live everywhere 273 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app. What what you're shaking your head? Yeah, 274 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: shaking your head and disapprove. 275 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 2: I do that every day. 276 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: Do you you know what chatbots are? 277 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 3: Yes? 278 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: Okay, you ever talked to one? No? I don't mean 279 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: like those customer service chats bots? 280 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 2: Oh, because I do that. I do and means I 281 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 2: was so excited today. I thought I had I had. 282 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 2: I thought I had a chat bot and it was 283 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 2: a real person. When I did chat I had. 284 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 1: A real person. Yes, oh man must be the last. 285 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 2: Seriously, I couldn't believe it because I was asking questions. 286 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 2: I knew it was. It was definitely a person. It 287 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 2: wasn't a bot. 288 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,719 Speaker 1: Eddie chatbots I've dealt with. Take you in circles. 289 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 2: Oh, then I just deleted. 290 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: It's supposed to be artificial intelligence. These are This is 291 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: like artificial stupidity. 292 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: It's insane. 293 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: They don't answer questions correctly, and they don't progress whatever 294 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: you're trying to do. If I'm trying to buy something, 295 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: I can't I can't buy it. I I questions because 296 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: something is screwed up. It just goes around and around 297 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: in circles. It's terrible. All my experiences with these these 298 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: stupid chat pots have been a complete waste of time. 299 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: And you're talking to people on the phone or a 300 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: waste of time too because it's often somebody ten thousand miles. 301 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 2: Away when they read a script that drives me insane, 302 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 2: and I have to tell them to stop. You do 303 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 2: to stop reading the script, put the paper down and 304 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: just talk to me. 305 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: They'll pause, and then they'll go back to reading the script. 306 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 2: And they also repeat what I'm so sorry, missus Mark, 307 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 2: I'm so sorry that you've had such a bad you 308 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: know whatever, and then they repeat it. I'm like, just 309 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 2: don't be sorry. 310 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: I tell them, you're not sorry. Why would you be sorry? 311 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: You didn't because it's ridiculous the way companies treat people, 312 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: and now they want to fire these poor people overseas 313 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: and replace them with these idiot checkpots who are it 314 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: ain't better. They companies do not want to service their customers. 315 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: They just hope you get frustrated and give up and 316 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 1: go away, which that's the whole person. Well I've done too, 317 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: but I remember I boycott companies for years after they've 318 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: displeased me. Not that they care, because there's too many 319 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: stupid people in the world who keep going Yeah, that's 320 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: right when I get displeased. Now, this, though, is weird. 321 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 1: And what I was going to ask you, is he 322 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: ever had a checkpot that you developed a relationship with? What? 323 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: Of course not? Oh, I don't know. You can get lonely. 324 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: La Times had this story today by Queenie Wong. A 325 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: growing number of teenagers are turning to AI chatbots for 326 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: advice and emotional support. It's called character dot ai. It's 327 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: a new startup and it's it's a tech company that 328 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: creates these these fake people online that teenagers are getting 329 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: emotionally involved with. When her autistic teens suddenly became angry, depressed, 330 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: and violent, the mother search for answers on the phone 331 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: found her son had been exchanging messages with chatbots on 332 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: character dot ai. It's an artificial intelligence app that allows 333 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: users to create and interact with virtual characters that mimic celebrities, 334 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: historical figures, or anyone else their imagination conjures. You can 335 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: make up fake girlfriends, fake boyfriends, fake fake anything. 336 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 2: What happens when you want to meet. 337 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: No, that's why these are cool, is they? I know. 338 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 2: I'm just saying, if you, you know, if you're that 339 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 2: wacky and you develop a relationship and then you think 340 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 2: that this chatbot is real, right, and then you want 341 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 2: to take it to the next level. 342 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what that would be. Meet me in 343 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: the park, right, and then nobody shows you're waiting for 344 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: the chatbot. It's it it They think that like this 345 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: really has an effect on some kids because actually they 346 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: start treating the chatbot character as if it is real. Yeah, 347 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: and they become emotionally involved. And so parents are now 348 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: suing this company, the parent company's character technologies in Menlo, 349 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: claiming the chatbots cause their children to hurt themselves and others. 350 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: I guess because the AI starts working on its own, 351 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: and I guess you can whip the kids into like 352 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: some kind of an emotional state where they start acting out. 353 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: There's a lot of these Meta and Google have their 354 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: own chatbots, so do Snapchat. The company racked up almost 355 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: two million installations in the first week. By December, twenty 356 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: seven million people were using the app. Twenty seven million 357 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: people are talking to fake bot characters. Listen to this. 358 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: Users spend more than ninety minutes with the bots each day. 359 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: Oh no, ninety minutes they talked to this fake thing 360 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:02,919 Speaker 1: on their phone. 361 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 2: Now you do what the verry's sad. 362 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: What are they going to do when they well, you know, 363 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: you see what what what shows up in the workplace? Right? Yeah? Yeah? 364 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: Imagine dating these people whose entire emotional development has been 365 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: talking to a bot on the phone. Wow. 366 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 2: I mean, I wonder if these people realize that these 367 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 2: people aren't real. I mean, do they realize that? 368 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: Or do they? I mean, I think after a while they. 369 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 2: The lines are blurred, right they they they they don't No. 370 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 1: Because because the the I mentioned that, the the chetbot 371 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: could emotionally manipulate the person, and you start triggering chemical reactions, right, 372 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: feelings of comfort, feelings of of just I guess, emotions, 373 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: all the positive emotions that come with a real relationship 374 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: or real romance or a real friendship. It starts saying 375 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: the things and acting in a way that will trigger 376 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: those happy chemicals in your brain. And after a while, 377 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: I mean, look how people get involved in television shows 378 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: and movies. I've always been kind of fascinated by that. 379 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 2: I yell at the TV. I do, I get, I 380 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 2: get very uh all right now think about that. But 381 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 2: I know, but I know on a deep level that 382 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 2: it's all but in. 383 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,400 Speaker 1: The moment, in the moment, you're lost in the characters. Yes, 384 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: you need to think that's weird. See, I always catch myself. 385 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: I can't really enjoy fictional stuff because I always catch 386 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: myself getting caught up. It's like, wait a second, they're 387 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 1: all reading a script. 388 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 2: You know, they've got cameras and laughs at me because 389 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 2: I and I know, let me just say this, John, 390 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 2: I know that it's not reality. I just I get so, 391 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 2: you know, and then I start thinking, what if this 392 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 2: was real? That's how my brain works. 393 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: I know it's not. But then one step away. 394 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 2: From well, no, I'm not love with the chat bot. 395 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you that right now. 396 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: By December, a total of more than twenty seven million 397 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:11,360 Speaker 1: people were using this particular bot one hundred and sixteen 398 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: percent increase. It is valued at a billion dollars and 399 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 1: the you know how they make money a ten dollars 400 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: monthly subscription fee, so the bot will respond more quickly 401 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 1: and you get early access to new features. So if 402 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: you don't pay the ten dollars, the bot just sits there. 403 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: It's like, hey, you're listening to me. Hey, I said something, 404 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 1: give me ten dollars. All right, give you ten dollars. 405 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: Now you get the quick answer. Oh that's sick. That's 406 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 1: really sick. There was a chatbot on Snapchat that provided 407 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: a researcher posing as a thirteen year old. Okay, the 408 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: researcher pretended they were thirteen years old, and this Snapchat 409 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 1: bot was giving them advice about how to have sex 410 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: with an older man. Oh no. And Meta's Instagram allows 411 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: you to create AI characters. You can create sexually suggestive 412 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: AI bots that'll talk to you as if they're minors, 413 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: so you can start talking. You could start engaging in 414 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: sex talk with fake underage bots on Instagram. Well, I 415 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: guess they'll start talking dirty to you. 416 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 2: That's another ten bucks. 417 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,880 Speaker 1: Where you could call one of those sex lives where 418 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: you get like really overweight women. 419 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 2: How do you know they're overweight? You just listen to 420 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 2: their voice. 421 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: They're always they always are in the movies. Are more 422 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: coming up? 423 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 3: You're listening to John Cobbels on demand from KFI Am sixty. 424 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: We're on every day from one until four. Moistline is 425 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: eight seven seven Moist eighty six eight seven seven Moist 426 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: eighty six. And you can use the talkback feature on 427 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app and we'll play that twice on Friday 428 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: in the three o'clock hour. What am I doing at 429 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: two o'clock? Oh right, that's a big deal. I just 430 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:25,520 Speaker 1: can't find it in front of me. Freddy Escobar is 431 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:30,360 Speaker 1: the head of the Firefighters Union United Firefighters in Los Angeles. 432 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: I think it's called and we've had him on before 433 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: and they are supporting Christian Crowley very publicly, and we 434 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: will have him on just after two o'clock, all right, 435 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: Frey Escobar, And we've got other stuff connected to the 436 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: Crowley firing. A lot of people, I tell you a 437 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: lot of people are probably angry with Karen Bass, even 438 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: if they think Crowley should have been fired, because Bass 439 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: continue news for what the seventh straight week, not to 440 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 1: take any responsibility at all, not to explain why she 441 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: did what she did, and now that other secret tapes 442 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 1: are coming out about why she was in Africa, there 443 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: needs to be a real thorough grilling of this Karen Bass, 444 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: because I don't I don't find her to be honest. 445 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: I don't find her to be uh, what's the word transparent? 446 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: Some funny business going on trying to get a consulate 447 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: from Ghana after she was told that that we had 448 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: extremely dangerous, deadly fire conditions. I don't know, I don't know. 449 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what that deal is about. I just get, 450 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: you know, I get a vibration, I get a vibe 451 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: inside of me. 452 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, how does that feel? 453 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: Huh? Actually good? Sometimes depends where the vibe is. But yeah, 454 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: if I feel that little little twinge. Gavin Knewsome, this 455 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 1: is pretty this is pretty slick. You know, he lost 456 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: track of twenty four billion dollars at homeless money and 457 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: he admits this, and this is just like Bass not 458 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: being here for the fire and then saying that, well, 459 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: nobody told me that there was going to be a fire, 460 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: I wasn't aware of the warnings, right, And she says 461 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: that it's news for a day or two and then 462 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: she just goes on as if it didn't happen. Newsom 463 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: does the same thing a few months ago. He had 464 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,479 Speaker 1: to admit they lost track of twenty four billion dollars 465 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: in homeless money that the state gave to various cities 466 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: and counties and fake criminal nonprofits. Now he's stepping forward 467 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: with a way to make sure that cities and counties 468 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: are held accountable. So he's got almost a billion dollars 469 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: in funding so that towns can clean up encampments and 470 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: fight homelessness, Like, like, how do you fight homelessness if 471 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: you punch out some homeless people. The vast majority of 472 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: the money is UH seven hundred and sixty million dollars 473 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: and it can be spent on permanent and interim housing, 474 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: outreach services, and other efforts. He's big on housing. He 475 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: wants to hold accountable these towns that haven't built enough housing. 476 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: This is the back door way to get apartment buildings 477 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: in residential areas, single family zoned residential areas. They are 478 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: fanatics in Sacramento at forcing low income apartment buildings into 479 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: middle class and upper middle class neighborhoods. That's what he's 480 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: talking about, but he dresses it up as homeless aid. 481 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: The people who are out in the streets and you 482 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: see them, the drug addicts, the mental patients, the drunks. 483 00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: Giving them housing isn't going to change any thing. Their 484 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: problem is their mental health. They're extremely mentally ill and 485 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 1: they have an extreme drug addiction, and they're gonna keep 486 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: living in the streets. And believe me, nobody and a 487 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: single family residential suburban neighborhood wants any of these characters 488 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: in their neighborhood. And that I'm warning you if you 489 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: hear about this in your town, that your town has 490 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: accepted this money in order to fight homelessness. It's about 491 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: the city building these kinds of multi unit apartments and 492 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna put in a lot 493 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: of undesirable people into your neighborhood. And Newston is pulling 494 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: every lever he can. They take towns to court, they're 495 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: trying to find uh find them. It's a lot of 496 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: extreme pressure. But because he's basically a dishonest guy for 497 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: public consumption, he's dressing this up as homelessness funding and 498 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: he's going to hold them accountable. Well, the accountability is 499 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: if you don't build the homeless housing in the single 500 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 1: family residential neighborhoods, then he's going to cut off the money. 501 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: It's not going to go to get the vagrants, the 502 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: drug addicts, and the mental patients off the streets and 503 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: off out of the parks and all that. No, it's 504 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: about forcing this low income housing into the system. There's 505 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 1: no connection between this kind of housing and why there's 506 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: homeless people laying all over your parks and building this 507 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: housing is not going to get the drug addicts and 508 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: mental patients out of the parks. They're not interested in housing. 509 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: But it's really slick and he's trying to confuse the 510 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: it's classic news, so beware this is gonna this fight 511 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: is because I just read the other day it was 512 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: a series of stories about how they passed all these 513 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: laws in Sacramento, you know, to force apartments into single 514 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: family neighborhoods, and for many different reasons, it hasn't happened. 515 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: The law has been a failure. It's been kind of 516 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: embarrassing because this was the master plan. And so you're 517 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: going to see redoubled efforts here and you're going to 518 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 1: see a lot of dishonesty, a lot of slight of hand. 519 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: All Right, we come back. We're going to talk to 520 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: Freddy Escobar, head of the Firefighters Union, and they're in 521 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 1: support of Kristin Crowley and they're upset with Bass firing Crowley, 522 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: and we have more fire related news regarding Crowley in Bass. 523 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: There's a lot of good stuff. Debor Mark live in 524 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,160 Speaker 1: the CAFI twenty four hour newsroom. Hey, you've been listening 525 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,719 Speaker 1: to the John Cobalt Show podcast. You can always hear 526 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: the show live on KFI Am six forty from one 527 00:33:57,520 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: to four pm every Monday through Friday, and of course 528 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.