1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,040 Speaker 1: Can't. I am six forty. 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 2: You're listening to the John Cobel podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 2: We're on from one until four, and every hour we 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: release the podcast of the previous hour, so very shortly 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 2: the two o'clock hour podcast will be on the iHeart 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 2: app as well. The Trump Administration is in town to 7 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 2: try to straighten out the rebuilding disaster in the Palisades 8 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: and Altadena after the fire, and today Lee Zelden, who's 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 2: head of the EPA and is in charge of this 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 2: contingent to investigate what's going on in California. Kelly Loffler 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: is with him as well. Kelly is head of the 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 2: Small Business Administration. They wrote a piece today in the 13 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 2: California Post saying, you know, they came here right after 14 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,319 Speaker 2: the fire and now coming back a year later, there 15 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 2: are still thousands of residents and business owners unable to 16 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: rebuild because of the local we're emitting backlocks, among other things. 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 2: We have Kelly Loffler on the line, the head of 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: the Small Business Administration for Donald Trump. Kelly, welcome to 19 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: the show. How are you? 20 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: Is she there all right? Please stand by. They're furiously 21 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: pressing buttons. 22 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 3: Kelly, Yeah, Hi, John Kearnie. 23 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I can hear you now. Thank you for coming 24 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: and taking some time I know, of course. 25 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, well tell me, I guess today was your first 26 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: full day to witness the destruction that's standing there a 27 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 2: year later, what are your thoughts, what's your reaction to 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: what you've experienced? 29 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're right. I'm driving through the Palisades right now. 30 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 3: This is actually my third visit out to Los Angeles. 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 3: And there's one reason, and one reason only that Lee 32 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 3: and I came back here is because the failure, the 33 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 3: abject failure of state and local leaders to rebuild this. 34 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 3: And President Trump is a builder and he knows what 35 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 3: it takes to get the job done. That's why he 36 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 3: signed an executive order to help residents bypass onerous delays 37 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 3: and permitting, among other things. And that's what we're out 38 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 3: here doing is delivering relief, not just from EPA but 39 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 3: from the SBA, which I run. We've given three point 40 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 3: two billion dollars to residence to rebuild, but they're not 41 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 3: able to rebuild because of the local response has just 42 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 3: been inadequate and it's frankly, it's been a failure. 43 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: What is the biggest problem is it the permitting. 44 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: Well, certainly permitting is one of the problems, but what 45 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 3: we're also seeing is their challenges with the insurance companies, 46 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 3: whether it's the Fair Plan or the private insurers. And frankly, 47 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 3: residents have no advocates within the state and local governments 48 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: to help them fight the insurance battles that they have 49 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,119 Speaker 3: on their hands right now. And so the Trump administration 50 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 3: is out here advocating for California residents so that they 51 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 3: have the right to rebuild. They're sitting on three point 52 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 3: two billion of federal assistants minimally from SBA, more from FEMA, 53 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 3: but the local failures have prevented anything from getting done, 54 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 3: whether it's with insurance companies or permits. And we're at 55 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 3: a place right now where residents are seeing mortgage deferments expiring. 56 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 3: They're gonna have to start paying their mortgages again, they're 57 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 3: going to have to start paying taxes, and they're going 58 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 3: to run out of rental insurance from their insurance companies. 59 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: So this is dire I had a woman on yesterday 60 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 2: from Altadena and she's become kind of a community activist 61 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: because she has to Her name's Heavenly Hughes. You may 62 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 2: run into her along the way, and she was describing 63 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: what's going on in Altadena, and she said that people's 64 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: rental assistance that's over after a year, mortgage deferral is 65 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 2: over after a year. Now they have to make balloon payments. 66 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: They can't get insurance payments, or the insurance payments are 67 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 2: really cheap. Some people didn't have insurance at all, and 68 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: if they do get an insurance payment, the insurance company 69 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: then drops them. They cancel the policy after making the payment. 70 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: And there's many people in outa Dina, she says, are 71 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: getting foreclosed and they're gonna be evicted, and you know 72 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: they're going to end up bankrupt and they're gonna be 73 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: out right homeless. And I could go on and on, 74 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: but she talked for a half hour yesterday. It was 75 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: absolutely heartbreaking, and I promised her I would tell you, 76 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 2: and I'm sure you know a lot of this already, 77 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,479 Speaker 2: but people are really suffering. I can also say that 78 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: I live very close to the Palisades. I got a 79 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 2: lot of friends there. My wife and I walk there 80 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 2: all the time and we just kind of interview people 81 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: randomly on the hiking paths. And you can't believe what's 82 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 2: going on. It's really bad and there's nobody helping them. 83 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 3: Well, you're absolutely right. We were standing on a lot. 84 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 3: So again my third visit and these lots all look 85 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 3: the same six months apart, now thirteen months in. Nothing's 86 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 3: getting done, no one's advocating for them. And so these 87 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 3: are the stories that we need to elevate and make 88 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: sure that we're dealing with insurance, that we're dealing with 89 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 3: rebuilding permits and getting that relief in terms of financial 90 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 3: support for communities because it is bankrupting families. Seventy five 91 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: percent of them are living in temporary housing and most 92 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 3: are in financial difficulty. And this isn't a state where 93 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 3: the taxes are the highest. They pay a lot in taxes. 94 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 3: They don't have the services they need or the attention. 95 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 3: And so we're making sure that this administration backfills for 96 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 3: the lack of state and local leadership. 97 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 2: How can you advocate for people in an insurance quagmire? 98 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 2: How can you physically help them with that? Are there 99 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: federal employees who are going to now be on the 100 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: phone with these insurance companies? How does that work? 101 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, it's important that we're learning on 102 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 3: the ground exactly what's happening, so that whether it's with 103 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 3: the state's fair plan that we can address it, or 104 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 3: with private sector insurance companies that aren't making the payouts 105 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: that policyholders were due and they're getting dropped like unbeknownst 106 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 3: to them. So this is all information that we can 107 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: take back and formulate a policy on. At the same time, 108 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 3: you have we really have three disasters unfolding here. We 109 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 3: have the disasters of the fire, you have the disaster 110 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 3: of the state and local response, and then you have 111 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 3: the insurance and permitting disasters. The help that these residents 112 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 3: thought would be there and it wasn't there. So this 113 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 3: is our first day on the ground. We'll consolidate our 114 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 3: assessment and take it back and see what the federal 115 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 3: government can do. And certainly another disaster is how Gavin 116 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 3: Newsom has handled this entire situation where he's shooting insults 117 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 3: off to President Trump ten times a day and then 118 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 3: he's telling President Trump that he needs to send the 119 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 3: state thirty billion dollars and it crowds out the local 120 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 3: requests for help on the ground. It's been completely an 121 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 3: effective way of asking for help, and the president wants 122 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 3: to help, but he wants to constructive dialogue because look, 123 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 3: he's been here since before day one. The President knew 124 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 3: before he got torn into office he was going to 125 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 3: come out and help, and he did that very first 126 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 3: week with the first lady. And so look, he just 127 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 3: needs to know what's going on because local leaders have 128 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 3: had their head in the sand about it. And that's 129 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 3: why we're here to raise this issue and make sure 130 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 3: people know what's going on. 131 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: How practically, how can you unplog this permitting problem? I mean, 132 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: it seems like the city bureaucracy, in the La County bureaucracy, 133 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: it stuck. 134 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: It seems immovable, that's right. 135 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: I mean, we had sixteen thousand structures destroyed, about twelve thousand, 136 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 3: four hundred residents got SBA loans to rebuild. Ten homes 137 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 3: have been rebuilt, and so there's a permitting backlog. Residents 138 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: signed an executive order that enabled the SBA to waive 139 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 3: the permitting backlog from standing in line. It gave them 140 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 3: the express lane and essentially, if they self certify if 141 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 3: they've had permits in it at the city or county 142 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: for more than sixty days, they can go to the 143 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 3: SBA dot gov website and complete two very brief forms 144 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 3: with their builder, submit those self certified that they meet 145 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 3: state and local rags, and then go ahead and start 146 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: putting shovels in dirt, because that's what needs to be happening. 147 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what I was looking for. So if they're 148 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 2: stuck in permit hell for sixty days, you give them 149 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: two quick forms and they'll self certify that what they're 150 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 2: doing is good enough for the rebuild to start and 151 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: just completely bypass this congested system. 152 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 3: That's right. I mean the check and balance on that 153 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 3: will be the inspection before they get the certificate of occupancy. 154 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 3: But they can start. They can self certify, and of 155 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 3: course the builder is on the for complying with regulations, 156 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 3: so you know the builders will have to be mindful 157 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 3: of that, and then you know they can start right away. 158 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: Now you are running the Small Business Administration, is there 159 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 2: anything particular that business owners listening who got burned out 160 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,079 Speaker 2: or smoked out in the fire, anything that they should 161 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 2: know to rebuild their business. 162 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. So most of the loans the SBA gave out 163 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 3: during this disaster were to residence, about ninety percent to residence, 164 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 3: about ten percent to small businesses. That said, we have 165 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 3: now twice extended the timeline to be able to use 166 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: your SBA loan. You don't even have to draw it 167 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 3: down until June. 168 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 4: Now. 169 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 3: We have never in the history of this agency, the 170 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 3: seventy two year history, had a disaster that took this 171 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 3: long to get the rebuildings started. So you know, we're 172 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: trying to give people the time and space they should 173 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 3: reach out to us if they are running into delays, 174 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 3: needless delays that we're not aware of. Because our disaster 175 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 3: team can be on the ground, we have one hundred 176 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 3: people on the ground, we can perhaps help intermediate some 177 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 3: of that. We need to know at this point because 178 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 3: state and local leaders can't be trusted to resolve the issues. 179 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: Are you getting cooperation from Karen Bass and from the 180 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: county supervisors? 181 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 3: Well, look, we had constructive conversations this morning with both 182 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 3: and we appreciate that we need communication. They were appreciative 183 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 3: and receptive to the visit, which I think is a positive. 184 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 3: But we can't have performative half measures, and that seems 185 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 3: to be what's been happening, and the residents know it. 186 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 3: They need to see real, meaningful action, and that's why 187 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 3: the federal government's involved. That's what the President Trump, That's 188 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 3: what President Trump has asked us to do. And this 189 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 3: is just getting started. This is the first day of 190 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 3: really getting into resolving this for all and once and 191 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 3: for all. And we can't have this happen again. So 192 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 3: we have to ensure that the incentives for recovery are 193 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: aligned with preventing things getting upstream of it, like making 194 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 3: sure what reservoirs have water, making sure that Green New 195 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,479 Speaker 3: Deal policies aren't creating fires in and of themselves. 196 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: You know that reservoir is empty again. 197 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 3: Well I didn't, but I will take that information back. 198 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 3: Yes it is. 199 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 2: It's empty again, and we got Santa Ana winds blowing again. 200 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,839 Speaker 2: These were exactly the kind of conditions on the day 201 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 2: of the fire. We had strong winds coming out of 202 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 2: the northeast through the mountains and we end up with 203 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: a hot day and the reservoir is still empty. If 204 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 2: something bad happened, you would see today another version of 205 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 2: what happened last January. They've changed nothing, they've fixed nothing. 206 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 3: Well, that's certainly tragic, and that's why we're elevating this 207 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 3: issue right now because it could lead to yet another disaster. 208 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 2: Well, listen, I hope we can have you on again 209 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 2: and keep following up on this because it's pretty tough 210 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 2: for people involved in this situation, and I know you 211 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 2: know that, so I hope we can have you on again. 212 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 2: And we're gonna have Leezelden on tomorrow. So thank you 213 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 2: for taking the time. 214 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I appreciate you covering John. It's so important in 215 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 3: my heart and prayers go out to the families, but 216 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 3: also my work and our commitment. We are committed to 217 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 3: getting shovels in dirt and getting people's lives and livelihoods 218 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: rebuilt here, all. 219 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 2: Right, Kelly Loffler, the head of the Small Business Administration, 220 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 2: thank you, Thank you, John. 221 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: All right, and when we. 222 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 2: Come back meantime back in crazy Land, I'm going to 223 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 2: read you the report from the La Times that Karen Bass, 224 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 2: according to their sources, did did heavily edit the after 225 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 2: action investigation report and covered up the truth. And now 226 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 2: she has a response to that La Time story. So 227 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 2: we'll get into all that next. 228 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KYO six forty. 229 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 2: All right, little little short on time in this segment, 230 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 2: because we went really long with the Kelly Loffler so 231 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 2: I will go through the LA Times report on that 232 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 2: the big lie that Karen Bass told, and in a 233 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: normal world, this would end her political career. This afternoon, 234 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 2: she'd be done. And I'll tell you about the big lie. 235 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 2: It's an extensive story and it's about how she lied. 236 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:30,479 Speaker 1: She really did. 237 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 2: Order the watering down or may have watered down the 238 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:41,599 Speaker 2: after action report herself to cover up all the all 239 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 2: the incompetence of herself and the Los Angeles Fire Department, 240 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 2: both in preparation for the fire and the winds and 241 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 2: also the response and everything that that followed. 242 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: I wanted the reason we're running late. 243 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 2: I had Kelly Loffler on and she's with the Small 244 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 2: Business Administration for the Trump administration. And Leez Elden is 245 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 2: in LA two and he's with EPA and he's going 246 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: to be helping to coordinate the federal involvement to try 247 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: to get the rebuilding going here because it's clearly hit 248 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 2: a dead end. It's a wall, and you can't make 249 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 2: people care. That's one thing I've learned in life. If 250 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 2: they don't care, they're not going to get up in 251 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 2: the morning and do what you need them to do, 252 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: or do the right thing, and Karen Bass and the 253 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: city bureaucrats, because they never suffer consequences, don't care and 254 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 2: they know it doesn't matter. There's going to be no impact. 255 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 2: That's what they believe. So they have never streamlined the 256 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 2: permit process. They have made it complicated, difficult, and extremely slow. 257 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 2: And Leez Elden pointed out that a thousand permits that 258 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: residents have submitted were kicked back to them. Why probably nonsense, 259 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:09,479 Speaker 2: probus certainly. 260 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 3: So. 261 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: Kelly Loffler explained that what the Trump administration is doing 262 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: with that executive order is that you can self certify, 263 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 2: You get your contractor, and if sixty day goes by, 264 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 2: sixty days go by and you don't have a permit approved, 265 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: then you could self certify, fill out some forms. There 266 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 2: has to be an inspector eventually signing off on the 267 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 2: build before you can live in that new house. But 268 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 2: it's basically saying, all right, the hell with you, You're 269 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: not gonna You're not gonna do the right thing because 270 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 2: you don't care. Well, everyone's gonna have to build without 271 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: the cooperation of the city, and it seems like this 272 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 2: Trump order will allow you to do that. And the 273 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 2: same thing with small businesses. As Kelly Lossler pointed out, 274 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: there was three billion dollars that the Trump administration gave 275 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: to the residents of the fires, and I don't know 276 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 2: what was done with it. I don't know if it's 277 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 2: still sitting in account. But there's very little rebuilding going on. Obviously, 278 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 2: all these stories are real. I have talked with enough 279 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 2: people connected to both towns, and it really is that bad. 280 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: It's not an exaggeration. 281 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 2: And you saw a happy, smiley, crazy person yesterday's running 282 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: for reelection. She just pretends that there's nothing wrong. She 283 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 2: gives a couple of lines of lip service, and then 284 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 2: we're resilient. Oh, by the way, the World Cup's coming 285 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 2: in town, you hear. Oh, and that's going to be 286 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 2: the super Bowl and then the Olympics. 287 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: How about that? 288 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, And that's that's what she cares about. And then 289 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 2: she gets really agitated every time a criminal illegal alien 290 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 2: is arrested. Boy, I tell you there's a legal alien, 291 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: rapist or murderer on the lowise to Oh. Karen Bass 292 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 2: is out there, full energy outrage, shaking her fists, squealing 293 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: and screaming. But you stupid people with your stupid homes, 294 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 2: paying your taxes, not interested. It's you know, it's it's 295 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 2: it's not a political division here, it's not two opposing opinions. 296 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 2: It's she doesn't care. You need a house. You're in 297 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 2: great distress, you have been for a year. Horrific thing happened. 298 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 2: Her fault, fire officials, their fault. They're trying to cover 299 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 2: up the responsibility and lie about the cover up. And 300 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 2: I'll read you the LA Times report coming up, and 301 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 2: we'll also read you the Karen past denial. 302 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: How about that. 303 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobel's on demand from KFI Am 304 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 5: six forty. 305 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 2: We're on from one in till four o'clock and now 306 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: every hour we post the previous hours podcast. So the 307 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 2: hour one an hour two are already up there on 308 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: the iHeart App. Moistline eight seven seven, Moist steady six 309 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 2: eight seven seven, Moist staty six are usually talkback feature 310 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 2: on the iHeart app. All right, So here it is 311 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 2: for those of you who are just joining us. The 312 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 2: big story of the day is this blockbuster report in 313 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Times by Paul Pringle and a lean 314 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 2: Check Midian, and the headline says Bass directed the watering 315 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 2: down of the Palisades Fire after action reports. That's what 316 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 2: she did. She constantly said she had nothing to do 317 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 2: with the six revisions of that report, which turned it 318 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 2: into oatmeal, and you couldn't tell what was done or 319 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 2: not done, what mistakes were made, why everything burned down. 320 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 2: And that's because Karen Bass had it rewritten, ordered it rewritten, 321 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 2: and her lackeys obediently, obediently did her fitting. Here's the story. 322 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 2: For nearly two months, Mayor Karen Bass has repeatedly denied 323 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 2: that she was involved in altering an after action report 324 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 2: on the Palisades fire, which downplayed failures by the city 325 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 2: and the La Fire Department in combating the catastrophic blaze. 326 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 2: But two sources with knowledge of Bass's office said after 327 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 2: receiving an early draft, the mayor told the then interim 328 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: fire chief, Ronnie Vanueva, that the report could expose the 329 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 2: city to legal liabilities for those failures, So Bass wanted 330 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 2: key findings about the fire department's actions removed or softened 331 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: before the report was made public, according to the sources, 332 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 2: and that is what happened. I want to point out 333 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: myself here that whatever the findings, everybody wants the truth, 334 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 2: period and that She's not trying to prevent legal liability. 335 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 2: The liability is coming. The civil lawsuits will reveal all eventually. 336 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 2: What she didn't want is bad headlines during her election campaign. 337 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 2: That's the reason. Now back to the La Times. The 338 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 2: changes to the original report came to light through Times 339 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 2: investigation in December. The sources told The Times that two 340 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 2: people close to Bass informed them of the mayor's behind 341 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 2: the scenes role in watering down the report. One source 342 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 2: spoke to both of those people, the other to one 343 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 2: of them. The sources requested anonymity to speak frankly about 344 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 2: the mayor's private conversations with Vianueva and others. The Times 345 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 2: is not naming the people who are close to Bass 346 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 2: because that could have the effect of identifying the sources. 347 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 2: One Basque confidante told one of the sources that the 348 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 2: mayor quote the mayor didn't tell the truth when she 349 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 2: said she had nothing to do with changing the report. 350 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 2: The source said. The confidante advised Bass that altering the 351 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 2: report quote was a bad idea because it would hurt 352 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 2: her politically. According to the source, The two confidants said 353 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: that Bass held onto the original draft until the changes 354 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 2: were made. The source added that both confidants said they 355 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 2: are prepared to testify under oath to verify their accounts 356 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 2: if the matter ends up in illegal proceeding. I imagine 357 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 2: they've already gotten a phone call. Both sources said they 358 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 2: did not know if Ving a Waiver or anyone else 359 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 2: in the Fire Department or in the Mayor's office made 360 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:58,239 Speaker 2: line by line edits at Bassi's specific instructions, or if 361 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 2: they imposed the changes after receiving a general direction from her. 362 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: Here's a quote. 363 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 2: All the changes the Times reported on were the ones 364 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 2: Karen wanted, the second source said, referring primarily to the 365 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 2: Times determination that the report was altered to deflect attention 366 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,479 Speaker 2: from the fire department's failure to pre deploy cruise to 367 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 2: the Palisades before the fire. Bass did not respond this 368 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 2: week to a comment for the article. Well, she has 369 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: since responded, and we'll get to that. The mayor has 370 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: previously rejected several requests by The Times to be interviewed 371 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 2: about the report. In response to written questions, a spokesperson 372 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 2: for the bass office said in an email in December, 373 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: the report was written and edited by the Fire Department. 374 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 2: We did not redline review every page. Or review every 375 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 2: draft of the report. The spokesperson, Clara Carter, said the 376 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,360 Speaker 2: Mayor's office asked only that the Fire department fact check 377 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 2: any findings regarding the effect of the city finances and 378 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 2: the high wind forecasts. Bast told The Times last month 379 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 2: in a brief interview, she did not work with the 380 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 2: Fire Department on the changes, nor did the agency consult her. 381 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 2: The only thing that I told them to do was 382 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 2: talk to Matt Zaebo, one of the bureaucrats, about the 383 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: budget and the funding, and that was it. That's a 384 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 2: technical report. I'm not a firefighter. Vian Aueva, the interim 385 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 2: fire chief, not commenting. He's made no public statements about 386 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 2: the report. Debor do you have her response, handy or 387 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 2: rebuttal Handy Janethea Hudley Hayes said Van Aweva told her 388 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 2: in mid August that a draft of the report was 389 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 2: sent to the Mayor's office for refinements, and she didn't 390 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 2: know what they were, but after reviewing an early draft 391 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 2: and the final document, she thought the material findings were 392 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 2: not authored were not altered. Now the author the original writer, 393 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 2: Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook, declined to entorse the final version 394 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 2: because the changes altered his findings and made the report, 395 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 2: he said, highly unprofessional and inconsistent with our established standards. Now, Bass, 396 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 2: after repeatedly saying she had nothing to do with it 397 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 2: or repeatedly refusing to answer questions, today has come out 398 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 2: and in a statement is it even from her? 399 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: Or is it right her office? 400 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 4: Sorry? 401 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 6: I was something you're talking to me? 402 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 3: Yeah? 403 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I read it. Could you read it? Yes? So. 404 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:34,880 Speaker 6: Mayor Bass's office is criticizing the report, and the office 405 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 6: says that, contrary to the report in the La Times, 406 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 6: she and her staff made no changes to the drafts 407 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 6: and she only asked the LA Fire Department to make 408 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 6: sure that an early draft was accurate on issues like 409 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 6: weather and budget. In her office says, this report is 410 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 6: muck raking journalism at its lowest form. 411 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: All right, Uh, that is a pretty weak denial to 412 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,479 Speaker 2: call it muck raking journalism. The muck is the truth. 413 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 2: She got caught. Her own staff has turned her in. 414 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 2: Her own staff is the original source of the story. 415 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 2: She watered it down. Everybody suspected that. I had no 416 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,880 Speaker 2: doubt that it was her. She's not trying to protect 417 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 2: the city's liability because the city's screwed on this. I 418 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 2: don't know of anybody now who doesn't think that the 419 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: city botched this up tragically, overwhelmingly. And now she's been 420 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 2: quartered and all she can do is accuse the Times 421 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 2: of muck raking. I just looked back at the two glowing, 422 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 2: over the top endorsements that The Times gave Bass back 423 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty two, both in the primary election and 424 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 2: uh the November race against Rick Caruso. Uh, maybe tomorrow 425 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 2: I'll read the two endorsements. 426 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: Now. 427 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: I know Patrick soon Young has since disbanded the editorial board, 428 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 2: and hopefully all the idiots who write and influence the 429 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 2: readers are unemployed now and will never be allowed to 430 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 2: write publicly again, because you can't believe the slot they 431 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 2: wrote about how wonderful Karen Bass is and what a 432 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 2: what a what a bad choice Rick Caruso would be. 433 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: But this is this is. 434 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 2: The cult that's been running the media and running the 435 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 2: city in the county now for a long time. And 436 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 2: what you end up with, You end up with the 437 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 2: palis As burned to the ground, and Altadena has burned 438 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 2: to the ground, and after a year, hardly anything's been rebuilt. 439 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 2: And now the Trump administrations in town to try to 440 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,159 Speaker 2: fix things. I'd be interested to see what kind of 441 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 2: TV coverage there is of Bass being caught lying by 442 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 2: her own staff. 443 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: All right, more coming up. 444 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 5: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM 445 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 5: six forty. 446 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: You could follow us at John Cobelt Radio and you 447 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 2: can also subscribe to our YouTube channel. We have the 448 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: videos we put up off in YouTube dot com slash 449 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: at John Cobelt's show. All right, so we're we are 450 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 2: going to stay on this. This story in the La 451 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 2: Times that Karen Bass, according to two sources who were 452 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: connected to two people in Bass's inner circle, that Bass 453 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 2: did order the fire department report water down. She is 454 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 2: consistently denied that, and it looks as if she's lying, 455 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 2: and now now something has to be done. 456 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: Now. Normally people would resign when they're caught. 457 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 2: Committing committing these kinds of acts, or they'd be forced out. 458 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: You'd have every politician coming out and saying, Okay, that's it, 459 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 2: enough is enough. You'd have all the television stations, in 460 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 2: the newspapers everybody say stop, that's it. You went to Ghana. 461 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 2: You've completely botched the rebuild. You only half funded the 462 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 2: fire department. You hired or retain morons, Denise Kenonias at 463 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 2: the DWP with the empty reservoir, the the the idiot 464 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 2: Kristen Crowley who didn't even assign firefighters. They didn't predploy anybody. 465 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: They didn't they didn't have anybody put out the original fire. 466 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 2: I mean, any number of things could have been done, 467 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 2: and this never ever happens. 468 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 4: It's it's heartbreaking, it's so infuriating. And she goes on 469 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 4: skipping along, dancing along, smiling. 470 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 2: Because she feels like there's no consequences, because there hasn't 471 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 2: been consequences. What was the last time it was a 472 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 2: consequence for a politician in California? 473 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: What was the last time? 474 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 3: Was it? 475 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: Great? Davis? What do you gotta recall? 476 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 4: Was that the last consequence of any note? She can't, 477 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 4: she can't stay as mayor. Somebody's got to do something here, 478 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 4: somebody has I can't. 479 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: But the thing is, it's all what party rule. Nobody 480 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: would dare. They're all chicken. 481 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 4: They're all like, uh, I mean Moore, the LA Fire 482 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 4: Department chief chief number three, when he was pressed by 483 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 4: a reporter this week, he said about the fire report, well, 484 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 4: what would people do with that information anyway, They're just 485 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 4: gonna point fingers, They're gonna point blame. It's like, yeah, 486 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 4: so that the people responsible get fired, whoever was involved 487 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 4: in all these decisions not to pre deploy firefighters that morning, 488 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 4: not to. 489 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: Have the second shift stay on. 490 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 2: And I know Kristin Crowley already quit, but she ought 491 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 2: to be where she ought to be forced to testify 492 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 2: in public by some Sacramento committee. Bess her sin goes 493 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 2: to Ghana a whole week's worth of wind warnings and 494 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 2: fire warnings, and then she lies and claims, oh, I 495 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 2: didn't know. Nobody told me the things. You're blaming Kristin 496 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 2: Crowley for not telling her. And she deleted all her 497 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 2: texts from January. Remember she deleted them all. And now 498 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 2: so that her reelection goes more smoothly, she rewrites the 499 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 2: report and then lies about rewriting. 500 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: It's it's all cover up, it's all lied. She should 501 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: be gone. This can't go on. We can't have this, 502 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: We can't have this. 503 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 2: And I think you gotta tell you live in La 504 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 2: you gotta tell your city council person and call up 505 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 2: everybody at the damned television stations. 506 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 1: This has gotta be done. 507 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 2: We had too many people die, we had thousands are homeless. 508 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 2: Now there's all kinds of suffering. Everything's bollock stuff everything, 509 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 2: everything is so messed up. You have no idea how 510 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 2: bad it is for these people in Alta Dana in 511 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 2: the Palace that you have no idea the insurance, the permits, 512 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 2: just the vast wasteland of two thriving towns here in 513 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 2: southern California, destroyed through stupidity and negligence. It's it's it's 514 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 2: such a crime. Hopefully the Trump people can make some 515 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 2: serious progress on this, but that's should be gone. This 516 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 2: is the big lie. And I hope these people testify 517 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 2: under oath, and I hope we learn about their testimony 518 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 2: real soon. And Michael Krozer has the news Conways next 519 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 2: live in the CAFI twenty four our newsroom. Hey, you've 520 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 2: been listening to the John Cobalt Show podcast. You can 521 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: always hear the show live on KFI AM six forty 522 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 2: from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, and 523 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 2: of course anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.