1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: I am six forty. 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 2: You're listening to the John Cobelt Podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: The John Cobelt Show. 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 2: We are on every day from one untill four, and 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 2: then after four o'clock it's John Cobelt Show on demand 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: on the iHeart app and you could listen to what 7 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 2: you missed. We closed last hour. We were talking with 8 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 2: Daniel Guss. There's a story about the LA Fire Department 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: union leaders. They've been suspended. They've been investigated by the 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 2: union's parent organization, and the La Times now has details 11 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 2: on the alleged reasons. Apparently eight hundred thousand dollars in 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 2: eight hundred thousand dollars in credit card purchases that were 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 2: not properly accounted for, and so Freddie Escobar, the president, 14 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 2: has been suspended, and the secretary of this is the 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 2: LA Fire Department's union former secretary Adam Walker, former treasurer 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 2: Domingo Albaron. They're involved in this investigation as well, and 17 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 2: we will also suspended was two vice presidents, Cheung Ho 18 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 2: and Doug Coates. 19 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: Eight hundred thousand dollars. 20 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: Escobar over a course of six years, had one thousand, 21 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: nine hundred and fifty seven transactions on his fire Union 22 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 2: credit card, and more than seventy percent of them have 23 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: no supporting documentation. Hey, okay, after three twenty, we'll get 24 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: into that. In the meantime, I want to go back 25 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: to Nick Schultz, former mayor Burbank, now the Assemblyman. He's 26 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: a rookie assemblyman. They put him in charge of the 27 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 2: Public Safety Committee because he's willing to keep criminals committing crimes. 28 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: He's willing to let perverts and pedophiles and predators a 29 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: cost teenagers and pay them for sex on the street. 30 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: That was the big ruckus in Sacramento last week. There's 31 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: a Democrat prosecutor named Maggie Crell, and she offered a 32 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 2: bill that would make soliciting and paying sixteen and seventeen 33 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: year olds for sex a felony automatic felony, and fifty 34 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: five Democrats said No. One of them was Nick Schultz, 35 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: and he runs the committee. So he grabbed the bill 36 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: from Maggie Crell and he's keeping it for himself, and 37 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 2: he's locking it up for a while because he doesn't 38 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: want this to be discussed anymore. Nick Schultz had a 39 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: town hall meeting on Friday, and one of our listeners 40 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: went and. 41 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: I guess we're going to go by. 42 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: Rick you there, Yeah, well, thank you for going, and 43 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 2: thank you for writing us an email summer the meeting, 44 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: and why don't you, why don't you tell me? 45 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: How did this play out? This this meeting? 46 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 3: Well, when I got my wife and I got there, 47 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: we noticed a small police presence, which you know, was 48 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 3: was very obvious. When we went in, uh to the 49 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 3: the youth center. It was a it was a auditorium 50 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 3: and I would estimate there was about one hundred people there. 51 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 3: They had a like a table that you could sign 52 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 3: up to ask questions, and uh so I did that, 53 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 3: but you know, they wanted specifics, what did you want 54 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 3: to talk about? And as soon as that I saw that, 55 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 3: it was like it was over. There was no way 56 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,119 Speaker 3: that they were gonna, you know, allow any of my questions. 57 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: So we sat there and a moderator started off and 58 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 3: told us what the format was going to be. They 59 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 3: were going to first, because it was an Armenian youth center, 60 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 3: they were going to talk about the Armenian genocide and 61 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 3: so forth first, and then Nick Schultz was going to 62 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 3: go into all his bills that he passed that he's 63 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 3: submitted and we had to listen to that, and then 64 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 3: it was opened up for questions, and most of the 65 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 3: questions were, you know, having nothing to do with the 66 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 3: topic that we're talking about. 67 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: Well they probably didn't even know a lot of these people. 68 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 3: Well they didn't, but it was it was kind of 69 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 3: interesting as they're going through and that, you know, the 70 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 3: people are asking their questions. There was some pushback from 71 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 3: people and you could tell that they all weren't, you know, liberals. 72 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 3: There there were some conservatives besides my for myself, but 73 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 3: there was pushback. But when it got to this, when 74 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 3: this this lady got up who was speaking for Alex 75 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 3: Baalakian and Alex Bolakian ran for US House of Representatives 76 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 3: this past November, and he had to leave. But this 77 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 3: woman spoke for him, and she was very eloquent and 78 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 3: I think she did a really a good job. But 79 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: she was getting a lot of pushback from the people 80 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 3: in the audience. But at first nobody said anything. It 81 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 3: was very very quiet. 82 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 2: So she asked why he voted no on not making 83 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 2: it a felony to pay sixteen and seventeen year olds 84 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 2: for sex, right, Yeah, And she was explaining the issue 85 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: everybody got quiet. 86 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 1: Yes, here, go ahead. 87 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 3: And then and then you know, he started answering the 88 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 3: questions and you know, typical smooth legal politician, you know, 89 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 3: and it was just you know, stuff like penal codes 90 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: and you know, stuff like that, and that you know, well, 91 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 3: you know it's already a felony to you know, to 92 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 3: even contact a sixteen or seventeen year old person for sex. 93 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: Well, no, it is not an automatic felony to solicit 94 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: and pay for sex from sixteen to seventeen year old. 95 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 2: There may be other provisions about actually having sex with 96 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 2: the sixteen year old, but actually soliciting them and paying them. No, 97 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 2: it's not an automatic sellony. That's why there's that's why 98 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 2: they put up this bill. That's why there's a fight. 99 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 3: Right, but he made us seeing but he mean it 100 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 3: seem like. 101 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 2: It was right exactly. And that's what they do. They 102 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: they overwhelm you with verbiage. It's like verbal diarrhea. 103 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 3: That's it. 104 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, exactly. 105 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: Oh no, I've had these characters on the air and 106 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 2: you know, after about thirty seconds, I've forgotten the question. 107 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 2: And and that that that's they're trained somewhere to do that, 108 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: especially with you know, the average citizen who's not familiar 109 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: with the terms and not familiar with the jargon that 110 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 2: that that this guy is losing. But but absolutely, it 111 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: is not an automatic felony to solicit and pay a 112 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 2: sixteen and seventeen year old for sex. It's not right 113 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 2: or this, this wouldn't exist. So so so he talked 114 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: in circles and I guess that probably had a dead end. 115 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 3: Huh uh it did she? You know, she was trying 116 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,559 Speaker 3: to rebut some stuff and you know, ask other questions, 117 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 3: give him other questions. And then at that point then 118 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: the the Libs got very boisterous and wanted her off 119 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: the h off the microphone. 120 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: They did, and yeah. 121 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: But they shouted her down because she kept pushing the 122 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: question about buying teenagers for sex. Yes, so is there 123 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 2: constituency in Burbank for purchasing teenagers? Yes, so he's just 124 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 2: representing the views of the public. 125 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 1: I guess exactly. 126 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 3: So there's nothing wrong with it, you know, it's but 127 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 3: I just want to I just you know, I live 128 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 3: in Burbank, and I don't want this to sound like 129 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 3: you know, you know, he represents more areas than Burbank. 130 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, Lockercenta, Sungland, Tahonga, Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood. 131 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 3: So uh, there were some other people there from not 132 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 3: just Burbank, you know. So well, there's a lot more. 133 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: I'm surprised even one question was asked. Yeah, and I'm 134 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 2: sure it was news because. 135 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: People don't don't don't people don't watch the news, they 136 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 1: don't read the news anymore. They don't know anything. 137 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 2: They get agitated about one pet issue that they might have, 138 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 2: but for the most part, they don't know what's. 139 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: Going on exactly, you know. And that's like I heard 140 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 3: you earlier talking about like the gas you know, the 141 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: gasoline cost prices here, and you know that they don't. 142 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 3: I mean, they should care about that that, but they don't. 143 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 3: They don't have a clue on what's going on about that. 144 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 2: No, No, we were talking because because Eric Skar, technical director, 145 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: was in Texas over the weekend and it was two 146 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 2: thirty nine in Texas and I saw five oh nine 147 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 2: today in Sherman Oaks, two thirty nine to five oh nine, 148 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 2: and I don't know, and any other time in my 149 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 2: lifetime if gas prices were that far out of whack, 150 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: there'd be there'd be riots in the streets and here 151 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 2: it's crickets, right, I don't know what's going on. 152 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: Well, Rick, thank you, go ahead. 153 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, just one of these things quick. So I thought 154 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 3: this was very ironic. At the end, they were going 155 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,199 Speaker 3: to close close the program, and somebody from the audience says, 156 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 3: can we say the pleasure of allegiance? They go, oh, yeah, okay, 157 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 3: we'll do that. 158 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 4: Yeah. 159 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 3: I mean people didn't people didn't stand. People you know, 160 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 3: continued to sit right. Well, I think you should have 161 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 3: Representative Assemblyman Schultz on. 162 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 2: Oh I'd love to have them on, because he wouldn't 163 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 2: be able to snow me with his diary. 164 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: I'll tell you that all right. 165 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: Else, maybe you should speak to is Alex Bulakian. 166 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 2: Okay, he ran as a Republican for the House and 167 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 2: he lost. Laura Friedman. Friedman had Schultz's seat, but she 168 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 2: won and she's now congresswoman. Yeah, well, well we could 169 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 2: talk to him and and maybe he could explain what's 170 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 2: going on. I have no way of understanding any of this. 171 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 2: This is all just insane. I've got a run. I 172 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 2: got to do the news. Thank you for coming on, Rick, 173 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 2: Rick who went to the Nick Schultz town hall meeting 174 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 2: in Burbank Schultz, head of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, 175 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: and he doesn't think it's particularly wrong to buy a 176 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 2: teenager for sex. When we come back, well, it looks 177 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 2: like there's if you believe these charges from this international 178 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 2: fire agency, they are indicating that the union leaders for 179 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 2: the LA Fire Union were on the take hundreds of 180 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 2: thousands of dollars in credit card bills that have not 181 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 2: and substantiated. 182 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 4: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM 183 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 4: six forty. 184 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 2: Okay, get ready for this if you're just joining us. 185 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 2: When the big fire happened in the Palisades, one of 186 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 2: the first to speak out against what was going on 187 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 2: was the president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles, 188 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 2: Freddie Escobar. He detailed for us just how badly underfunded 189 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 2: the fire department was, how we had fewer fire stations 190 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 2: than we did in the nineteen sixties, and told us 191 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 2: about the thousands and thousands of vagrants that start fires 192 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 2: every year, which drains a tremendous amount of time from 193 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 2: the fire department. And he talked about how unprepared that 194 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: the that the city had made the LA Fire Department 195 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 2: with its lack of funding. Although he was supportive of 196 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 2: Kristen Crowley, the fire chief. So we had him on 197 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 2: a couple times, two, three times, and I thought he 198 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 2: was one of the good guys. Now last week a 199 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 2: story leaked that he had made five hundred and forty 200 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 2: thousand dollars last year, a lot of overtime, and that made. 201 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: Me go, huh, I. 202 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 2: Don't know what that's about, but you know, when you 203 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 2: have an underfunded fire department, you do get a big 204 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 2: overtime costs. So that was one of those wait and 205 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: see stories. 206 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: But now. 207 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 2: He's been suspended. He's with United Firefighters in Los Angeles, 208 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 2: you know, the local, and that is overseen by the 209 00:13:54,360 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: International Association of Firefighters. It oversees firefighter re unions around 210 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: the country. And Freddy Escobar, the president, has been suspended. 211 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 2: Also Vice presidents Chung Ho and Doug Coates have been suspended, 212 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 2: and two others, a former secretary Adam Walker and a 213 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 2: former treasurer, Domingo Alberon Junr, also investigated. And it's over 214 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 2: eight hundred thousand dollars in credit card purchases that were 215 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 2: not accounted for. Eight hundred thousand dollars from July of 216 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen through November of twenty twenty four, all by himself. 217 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 2: They said they did an audit. Freddy Escobar had one thousand, 218 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 2: nine hundred and fifty seven separate transactions on his Union 219 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: credit card, totaling over three hundred and eleven thousand dollars. 220 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 2: Of those transactions have no supporting documentation, no receipts submitted. 221 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 2: That amounts about two hundred and thirty thousand of the total. 222 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 2: The auditors could not ascertain the purpose of these transactions, 223 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: according to the IAFF General President Edward Kelly, IAFF is 224 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 2: the national organization. Kelly said, there's another one hundred and 225 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: fifty some odd transactions another thirty five thousand dollars only 226 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 2: partially supported. 227 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: So now we're looking at over a quarter of a million. 228 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 2: Dollars in credit card transactions by Freddie Escobar that doesn't 229 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: have enough or has no documentation at all. La Times 230 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 2: tried to contact him and didn't respond. The former secretary 231 00:15:55,400 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 2: of United of United Firefighters of la Is Adam Walker, 232 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 2: the former treasurer Domingo Abaran Junr they had five hundred 233 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 2: and thirty thousand dollars in credit card transactions with no 234 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 2: receipts or only partially documented. So now we are up 235 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 2: to eight hundred and sixty thousand dollars between the three 236 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 2: of them. The vice presidents Chung Ho and Doug Coates 237 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 2: suspended and accused of breaching their fiduciary duties failing to 238 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 2: enforce United Firefighters of La policy. 239 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: Maybe they should have noticed. 240 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: That there were eight hundred and sixty thousand dollars worth 241 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 2: of charges on the fire department credit card or the 242 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: Fire Union credit card. And all this comes out of 243 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 2: the dues that firefighters pay, which in turn comes you know, 244 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: comes out of their paychecks, which, of course taxpayers provide 245 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 2: the money for the paychecks, which leads to the dues, 246 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 2: which ends up paying off the credit cards that Escobar 247 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 2: and Walker and Alberon were using. They found that they've 248 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 2: moved large sums of money. There was a charity account 249 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 2: the United Firefighters of La Fire Foundation set up for 250 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: two golf tournaments. They were supposed to raise money for 251 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 2: a disabled former firefighter, and Walker, the secretary says all 252 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 2: the deposits were reimbursements for out of pocketed expenses, but 253 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 2: the investigation showed that large sums of money moved from 254 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 2: the charity to his personal accounts. And Walker, the former secretary, 255 00:17:55,040 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: paid his mortgage and RV loan payments. This was money 256 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: for golf tournaments for a disabled firefighter. And they say, 257 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 2: this guy, somehow the money got diverted to pay his 258 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 2: mortgage and his RV and made cash ATM withdrawals at 259 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 2: a casino. The Times they referenced the story I told 260 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 2: you about. They found Escobar and other top union officers 261 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 2: for years had been patting their paychecks with overtime while 262 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 2: collecting five to six figure union stipends. Escobar made five 263 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 2: hundred and forty thousand dollars in twenty twenty two. That 264 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 2: was double his base salary with overtime payments. And you 265 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 2: get the idea. Who had it turned to here? Huh yeahoo, 266 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 2: nothing but in competence, corruption, stupidity. There's nobody to go 267 00:18:54,880 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 2: to Governor Newsom. That would be the stupidity category. Right now, 268 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 2: there's more. Rick Caruso has just posted something. Apparently there 269 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 2: was a second reservoir in the Palisades that went dry. 270 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 2: The New York Times has a story about it. I'll 271 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 2: tell you about it next. I'll tell you about Caruso's 272 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 2: reaction to it, that that that reservoir it was seven 273 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: hundred and seventeen million gallons sent in as that wasn't 274 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 2: the only reservoir that was dry up of the Palisades. 275 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: What's everybody doing here? 276 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 4: You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM 277 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 4: six forty. 278 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 2: It's the John Cobelt Show caf I AM six forty 279 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,120 Speaker 2: live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. It'd be a good 280 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 2: time to give you the moistline. I can't call the moistline, 281 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 2: but why don't you call it for me? Eight seven 282 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 2: seven moist eighty six eight seven seven moist eighty six. 283 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 2: It would sound stupid if I said, let's play the 284 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 2: moistline and then it's me yelling at me eight seven 285 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 2: seven sixty six four seven eight. So use the talkback 286 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 2: feature on the iHeartRadio app. Okay, you ready for this? One? 287 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 2: New York Times apparently this came out over the weekend, 288 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 2: but the story was put on page A thirty two, 289 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 2: so I missed it. But Rick Caruso saw it and 290 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 2: he posted it, and I'll read you his comment about 291 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 2: it in a moment. But this is by Mike Baker 292 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 2: from the New York Times, and seven months before the 293 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: Palisades fire. Remember they had shut down the Santi Inez 294 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 2: reservoir one hundred and seventeen million gallons because it needed 295 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 2: its cover repaired. 296 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: Now, why a. 297 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 2: Reservoir needs a cover, I don't understand that to begin with, 298 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 2: For for forty years it never had a cover. Was 299 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 2: primarily used for fire protection, not drinking. Okay, So, seven 300 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 2: months before the fire, with the Santiez reservoir off line, 301 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 2: the city's water managers at the DWP had a plan 302 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 2: to revive an old reservoir to boost the capacity a bit. 303 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: Because the repair was still months away, so New York Times. 304 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 2: Filed a request under a public records law, and it 305 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: showed that any emails that the city had searched for 306 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: solutions to rectify the supply shortage. They had lengthy discussions 307 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 2: and preliminary preparations, but they never corrected the problem. In 308 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,719 Speaker 2: June of last year, Cruz spent several days cleaning the 309 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 2: Pacific Palisades Reservoir. This is a different one three miles 310 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 2: away from Santienez. This was closed in twenty thirteen, but 311 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 2: they started cleaning the Pacific Palisades Reservoir to use it temporarily. 312 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 2: After the cleaning was completed, they were going to do 313 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 2: more work. They were to disinfect the reservoir install new pipes, 314 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 2: but the plan was never completed. According to Ellen Cheng, 315 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 2: a spokeshole for the LADWP, the city ultimately determined that 316 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: bringing back the reservoir online could have posed serious risk 317 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 2: to workers and residents because of structural and other safety issues. 318 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: Well not nearly the danger that the fire was. 319 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: By the time the fire started, the Palisades Reservoir was 320 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 2: still out of service. The Santa Tez Reservoir was still 321 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 2: out of service. And it says, here, boy, this is 322 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 2: genius journalism. The inability to bring either reservoir back online 323 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 2: undermined the potential water supply in the area. Thank you 324 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 2: for that, because that's one hundred and seventeen million gallons. 325 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 2: The Pacific Palisades Reservoir could holds six million gallons, which 326 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 2: doesn't sound like a lot relatively, but it was double 327 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 2: what they had available in those three water tanks. It's 328 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 2: not certain how much of a difference in extra supply 329 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: it could have made, but it would have been sustain 330 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 2: water pressure in the area because the fire hydrants went dry, 331 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 2: or it was down to very light water pressure, which 332 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 2: made it the hydrants useless. Now they keep putting in 333 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 2: this line that we don't know it would have made 334 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 2: a difference. I have seen Caruso's shopping center in the 335 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 2: Palisades up close since the fire. It is really in 336 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 2: great condition because he hired his own fire department. And 337 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 2: while that costs a lot of money for an individual, 338 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:05,679 Speaker 2: it was not that much of a cost for a city. 339 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 2: So if you were and that shopping center is good sized, 340 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 2: and if just a small at hoc fire department, private 341 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 2: fire department could say that much property, imagine if we 342 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 2: had tens of millions of gallons or hundreds of millions 343 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 2: of gallons, and we had a fully funded fire department 344 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 2: that didn't have one hundred fire engines disabled, it would 345 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 2: be an enormous difference. And anybody says otherwise is lying, 346 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: absolutely lying. Of course, it would have made a huge difference. 347 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 2: Matthew Stump is a lawyer who is part of a 348 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 2: legal team seven hundred and fifty wildfire victims are suing. 349 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 2: They've been trying to get the records and answers from 350 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 2: the city about the reservoirs. 351 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: And before. 352 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:13,159 Speaker 2: Before the city tried to add the floating cover on 353 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 2: the Santeinez Reservoir. City officials added a cistern at the 354 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 2: Palisades Reservoir where firefighters could land a helicopter to refill 355 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 2: their supply. So both reservoirs were considered very useful for 356 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 2: fire and the reservoir had been retired because of its 357 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 2: low elevation. They thought the water sitting there longer was 358 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 2: would create quality issues. What is quality issues in water 359 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 2: to be used to put out. 360 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: A fire, but we're not drinking it? Who cares? 361 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 2: No, they didn't need either reservoir for drinking purposes, quality issues. 362 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 2: Even water could daminated with bird poop would still put 363 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 2: out a fire. God, they're stupid. They're just criminally impossibly stupid. 364 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 2: And of course you know, recently they found there's more 365 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 2: terrors in the cover and they drained the Santainez reservoir 366 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 2: all over again. 367 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 1: It had been one quarter filled. Here's what Caruso wrote 368 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 1: on Twitter. 369 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 2: How the head of the DWP still has a job 370 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 2: is unthinkable in competence at the highest level, this would 371 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 2: be Genie Kenoniez. 372 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year. That's right. 373 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 2: Only in LA does failure this big come with job security, 374 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 2: says Caruso. Seven months, empty reservoirs, dry hydrants. The more 375 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 2: we learn about the pre fire failures of our city leaders, 376 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 2: the more baffling the total lack of accountability at DWP becomes. 377 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 2: DWP did not plan, they did not act, and no 378 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 2: one has been held accountable. Mayor Bass appointed the head 379 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:01,880 Speaker 2: of the DWP, and it's time she acts and fires. 380 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 2: Her Leadership means responsibility. We will see better results until 381 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:11,360 Speaker 2: there is change, says Rick Caruso. Last we heard from 382 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 2: Genie Quinonyez. She was celebrating Earth Day at the meeting. 383 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 2: Still no word. Two reservoirs empty, now two of them. 384 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 4: You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM 385 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 4: six forty moistline. 386 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 2: Well, I gave you enough today, I think eight seven 387 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 2: seven moist eighty six. It's not like you have to 388 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 2: do your own research. Eight seven seven moist eighty six. 389 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 2: You usually talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app and we'll 390 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 2: play it twice on Friday. 391 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: Well, here's good news. I think the era of. 392 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 2: Climate change insanity is coming to an end, and it's 393 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 2: coming to an end in California because it looks like 394 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 2: one way or the other, this mandate that we all 395 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 2: have to buy electric cars by twenty thirty five, as 396 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 2: finally it's it's finally getting killed. The Congress voted two 397 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 2: hundred and forty six to one sixty four to repeal 398 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 2: a waiver that the EPA gave California for its ev mandate. 399 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 2: In other words, in order for California to force electric 400 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 2: vehicles on us. And remember it was one hundred percent 401 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 2: electric vehicles to be sold by the year twenty thirty five. Well, 402 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 2: the EPA had to grant California waiver for that, and 403 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 2: now Congress is taking it away. And this is a 404 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: bipartisan issue. The waiver was written so that California could 405 00:28:55,440 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 2: have its own environmental rules to address smog, which everyone 406 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: agreed with smog. But carbon dioxide from driving a gas 407 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 2: powered car is not smog. Carbon dioxide is what we exhale. 408 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 2: It's what trees and plants and grass inhale. Carbon dioxide 409 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: is not a poison. And we've had years of this nonsense, 410 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 2: and the climate is not any different still all the same. 411 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 2: No temperatures were lowered, so now too, it was two 412 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 2: sixty four, It was two forty six to one sixty four, 413 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 2: and in the House there were thirty five Democrats that 414 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 2: joined the Republicans to get rid of this California waiver. 415 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 2: And the Senate is likely to pass it as well, 416 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 2: and Trump will sign it, and that'll be the end 417 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 2: of this nonsense. And I told you it was never 418 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 2: ever going to get there. Most car makers are nowhere 419 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 2: near the sales targets by twenty twenty seven. In a 420 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 2: year and a half, forty three percent of an automaker's 421 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 2: car sales was supposed to be electric in California, and 422 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 2: it was sixty eight percent by twenty thirty. Not only that, 423 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 2: there's a dozen other states that decided to copy California rules. 424 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 2: Whatever California did, they would do well. Virginia has repealed that, 425 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: Maryland has repealed that, and now dozens of Democrats have 426 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 2: joined this initiative, and it looks like it looks like 427 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 2: it's going to pass, and we'll be done with this 428 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 2: nonsense hanging over our heads. We still have to deal 429 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 2: with all the excessive taxes and fees because, as we 430 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 2: told you earlier, Eric Sklar, our technical director, was in 431 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 2: Texas over the weekend Austin two dollars and thirty nine 432 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 2: cents for gas two thirty nine. Today I saw and 433 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 2: this was a common price five dollars and nine cents. 434 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 2: It's now a two dollars in seventy cent differential for 435 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 2: attack of twenty gallon tank of gas. That's a fifty 436 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 2: four dollars difference. You could fill up in Texas full 437 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 2: tank of gas for fifty four dollars less every week. 438 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: Than here more. 439 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 2: Coming up with Conway, Michael Krozer has the news live 440 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: in the CAFI twenty for our newsroom. Hey, you've been 441 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 2: listening to the John Cobalt Show podcast. You can always 442 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 2: hear the show live on KFI Am six forty from 443 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 2: one to four pm every Monday through Friday, and of 444 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 2: course anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app