LOS ANGELES, California — Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) told Breitbart News on Thursday that any new fire aid for California should include a “Special Master” to make sure that funding is spent the way that Congress intends.
Rep. LaMalfa, whose district includes the town of Paradise, which was destroyed in the Camp Fire of 2018, spoke with Breitbart News after a visit to the Palisades Fire burn area, including a private meeting with dozens of residents. It was his second visit to the area since January.
Breitbart News: There will be some legislation for supplemental funding for fire relief, and — do you think that there can be provision made for a Special Master, an Office of the Special Master to oversee funding coming to California to make sure it’s being spent properly.
LaMalfa: I think that’s a good idea no matter what, because we’re starting talking about many billions being poured into, really, anything government has to do, disaster or otherwise, it’s it’s hard to tell where the money’s, if it’s going to end up where intended, because when there’s a trough full of money, it’s really easy for people to stick their noses in and get away with a lot of it. And what we’re finding out with this DOGE process and what’s happening there, it’s just rife for those opportunities. So this isn’t against the people of this fire or any other disaster. It’s more like it’s always good to have that, because the dollars that federal expenses is other people’s money. We want that to get to helping the fire victims, helping get the infrastructure back in place, help people get their lives back in order, instead of some contractors or whoever making a ton of money on a job that would be normally accomplishable, [for] say, like, 1/3 of the price.
The idea was first floated by this author in a town hall meeting with President Donald Trump in the Pacific Palisades after the massive wildfire in January. President Trump immediately agreed, on live television, on the proposal.
The idea is based on the mechanism used by Congress and the White House to ensure that funding allocated to the families of victims of the September 11, 2001, actually reached its intended recipients and was properly managed.
Public Law 107-42, passed on September 22, 2001, included provision for a Special Master to oversee the funds:
SEC. 404. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.–The Attorney General, acting through a Special Master appointed by the Attorney General, shall–
(1) administer the compensation program established under this title;
(2) promulgate all procedural and substantive rules for the administration of this title; and
(3) employ and supervise hearing officers and other administrative personnel to perform the duties of the Special Master under this title.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.–There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to pay the administrative and support costs for the Special Master in carrying out this title.
Then-Attorney General John Ashcroft appointed attorney Kenneth Feinberg as Special Master to oversee the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund. He is generally considered to have done an outstanding job in tough cirucmstances.
The idea for a Special Master for California comes as the state continues a pattern of financial mismanagement. This month, it has been forced to borrow over $6 billion to keep the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, afloat. Breitbart News also noted: “In 2019 … the co-author of California’s cap-and-trade legislation complained that Democrats — his own party — were diverting funds ‘for investments that are barely related to the original intent’ of the program.”
Left-leaning Capital Public Radio also faulted Newsom for lying to the public about the state’s spending on wildfire prevention: “[T]he governor has misrepresented his accomplishments and even disinvested in wildfire prevention.”
Newsom appeared bewildered when conservative radio host Michael Savage brought up the idea during a recent podcast: “I’m for accountability and I have no problem and I think in terms of that transparency and accountability.”
The White House could appoint a Special Master through executive action, but the legislative option is more reliable, as it would retain the office through subsequent administrations.
LaMalfa, reflecting on what he had seen on his second visit to the Palisades Fire, said that he was hopeful that the Pacific Palisades community would rebuild, having met with the enthusiastic residents: “I see it in the eyes of the people.”
He said that the onus was on the federal government to manage public lands more safely and sustainably.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
