FireAid has retained major law firm Latham & Watkins to review its grantmaking process amid a growing furor about the distribution of $100 million raised during the all-star benefit concerts for Los Angeles wildfire relief in January.
An online maelstrom about FireAid has been fueled by Republican congressman Kevin Kiley, who sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) last week claiming donations were diverted to nonprofits with only “tenuous” connections to fire relief. President Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend, calling the concert series a “Democrat-inspired scam” and saying “$100 million is missing.”
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FireAid has called these claims “misinformation,” maintaining that the money raised from two concerts at L.A.’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum went to nonprofits who provided direct relief to victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
In a letter to Kiley on Monday (July 28), FireAid says again that all the nonprofits it’s distributing the $100 million to “are both worthy and have close relationships to the recovery efforts in response to the fires.” The organization also notes that it has “maintained transparency” throughout the process, documenting all grants on its website.
Nonetheless, the organization says it has retained the white-shoe law firm Latham & Watkins to “conduct a comprehensive review of FireAid’s governance and grantmaking processes” and “ensure FireAid remains true to its original mission of directly supporting fire survivors.”
“This review will also include assessing whether recipient organizations are using funds in alignment with FireAid’s stated purpose and commitments,” reads Monday’s letter to Kiley. “We look forward to sharing the results of our ongoing review with you in the near future and updating you at your convenience.”
FireAid’s letter is signed by Makan Delrahim, an L.A.-based Latham & Watkins partner who previously served as head of the DOJ’s antitrust division. Delrahim now advises private clients on mergers and acquisitions, government investigations and crisis management.
The dual FireAid concerts featured a star-studded list of performers including Green Day, Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, Lil Baby, Tate McRae, Sting, Alanis Morissette, John Mayer, a Nirvana reunion, Joni Mitchell, a reunited No Doubt, P!nk and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The shows were livestreamed, drawing in more than 50 million viewers, and raised $100 million from ticket and merchandise sales, sponsorships, donations from the public and private gifts.
FireAid distributed $50 million of the funds in February to more than 120 nonprofits focused on providing fire survivors with food assistance, emergency housing, mental health services, childcare and more.
A second round of grants came in June, with the organization allocating $25 million to causes including environmental recovery, remediation and soil testing. The last $25 million tranche is on track to be distributed by the end of the year.
