Ambitious LA water recycling plan could serve half a million households
Containment of Eaton Fire reaches 45%; 16 people killed
Pg 14
Pg 13
VISIT HEYSOCAL.COM
Thursday, January 16-January 22, 2025
Local. Relevant. Trusted.
VOL. 13,
NO. 206
As LA burns, congressional Republicans propose tying wildfire aid to debt ceiling debate By Staff
I
n an unfolding political standoff, House Republicans have proposed attaching wildfire disaster aid for Southern California to a federal debt limit increase, a strategy met with staunch opposition from California Democrats. The idea was floated during meetings with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Republican legislators, wielding a narrow majority, face a monumental challenge in securing votes necessary to raise the debt ceiling without Democratic support, posing an economic hurdle for the incoming administration. "I think there should probably be conditions on that aid,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Monday. “That's my personal view. We'll see what the consensus is. I haven't had a chance to socialize that with any of the
members over the weekend because we've all been very busy, but it'll be part of the discussion."Earlier on Sunday, Senate Republican John Barrasso of Wyoming told “Face the Nation” that he expects "strings attached to money that is ultimately approved.” Democrats, however, were not entertaining such proposals. California Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, was among those criticizing the notion of conditional fire relief. "Why would you be trying to link completely unrelated issues?” Lieu told Politico. “We've always helped victims of disasters, and to leverage their pain and suffering on totally unrelated issues — that is inappropriate.” Funding to help areas rebuild after natural disas-
ters usually receives bipartisan support with few if any conditions. In December, Congress approved more than $100 billion in emergency funding to address hurricane recovery in states that included Florida and North Carolina. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., expressed skepticism over the GOP's tactic to make aid for California conditional. "If (Johnson) wants to raise the debt ceiling, he's going to have to talk to Democrats, not try to condition disaster aid," Moskowitz told Politico. “Congress is like high school: when one side breaks the norm, the other side will return the favor,” Moskowitz added. That sentiment was echoed by California Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, who in an interview with Politico described the
House Speaker Mike Johnson. | Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
proposal as a “non-starter." He added, “Disaster aid should never be tied to the debt ceiling, which I think is a crazy approach.” Some House conservatives expressed doubts over the viability of intertwining disaster assistance with
debt ceiling negotiations. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, the Freedom Caucus chair, wants the GOP to address the debt limit as part of a budget reconciliation bill coupled with strict spending cuts. “I’ve said we shouldn’t
have to negotiate with Democrats,” Harris told Politico. Harris is in favor of Republicans tackling the debt limit issue as part of a party-line budget reconciliation bill paired with significant spending cuts.
District attorney charges 8 with looting homes during wildfires By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
E
ight individuals who allegedly looted homes during the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County have been charged with residential burglary and two others have been charged with other offenses, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday. One of the nonburglary
charges was for alleged arson in connection with a fire set at an Azusa park. “These crimes are appalling and represent a direct attack on our community during a time of unprecedented loss and vulnerability,” Hochman said in a statements. “Let me be clear: If you exploit this tragedy to prey on victims of these deadly fires,
we will find you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” Roy Sims, 18; Ryan Sims, 19; Naquan Dewey Reddix, 22; and Pierie Obannon, 19, each were charged with one count of first-degree residential burglary. The alleged looters are believed to have taken a variety of items from a home in Altadena on
Jan. 8, including an Emmy Award that belonged to the resident, Hochman said at a media briefing Monday in downtown LA. Rudy Salazar, 19, and Lucia Jilrara Perez, 36, each were charged with two counts of first-degree residential burglary. The pair allegedly entered two homes and stole property during
the Eaton Fire in Altadena on the afternoon of Jan. 8, the district attorney said. Martrell Peoples, 22, and Damari Bell, 21, were charged with one count each of first-degree residential burglary and looting during an emergency or evacuation involving a home. The alleged looting occurred in LA's Mandeville Canyon area
between the late evening hours of Jan. 8 and the early morning of Jan. 9 and was caught on a Ring camera, the DA said. Peoples is a possible third-strike defendant who could face life in prison if convicted, and Bell is a potential second-strike See Looting Page 28