WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:02.960 This is Gary and Shannon and you're listening to KFI 2 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:05.879 AM six forty, the Gary and Shannon Show on demand 3 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:10.000 on the iHeartRadio app. We have buffed out all sorts 4 00:00:10.039 --> 00:00:12.640 of things here at KFI to keep you informed on 5 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.679 changing events, obviously this afternoon, this evening particular concern. As 6 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:21.239 wins pick up. In a second, I'll get to Michael Monks. 7 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:24.399 I just wanted to mention to you that, yeah, that 8 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:26.879 Mayor bass is exactly is gonna get your Mayor bass 9 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:29.039 is approaching the mics and she's having a press conference 10 00:00:29.559 --> 00:00:30.239 listening lit. 11 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:34.200 Before I introduce our speakers, I do want to thank 12 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:39.679 UCLA and Chancellor Frank for opening up this facility to us. 13 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:42.200 Please raise your hand and so we can acknowledge you. 14 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:46.759 Thank you very much. This was very kind of UCLA 15 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:49.439 to do this. I think this is a wonderful facility 16 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:53.320 where people could come. There's adequate parking, and this facility 17 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:54.840 is obviously. 18 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:56.759 For the people from everywhere, but. 19 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:02.159 Especially the Palisades and her Spire. So our first speaker 20 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:06.079 Bob Fenson, who is the FEMA administrator, and we are 21 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:10.120 just so happy about his leadership. He has been through 22 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:13.640 this for many, many years and has an incredible reputation 23 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:14.519 and legacy. 24 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:21.439 Wow, thank you so well. Thank you glad to be 25 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:22.359 here with the mayor. 26 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.640 And when we talk about recovery, it's really about a 27 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:30.560 whole community effort. And what you're seeing behind us is 28 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:34.159 that community coming together. It's all levels of government, it's nonprofits, 29 00:01:34.760 --> 00:01:38.920 it's private sector, all coming together to help individuals impacted 30 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:42.760 from these disasters. FEMA offers a wide array of assistants 31 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:46.680 and brings together the federal community to support state and 32 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.359 local governments and disasters. For those that want to apply, 33 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:53.040 go to Disaster Assistants dot gov. He's a winning one 34 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:56.480 hundred sixty two to one three three sixty two number. 35 00:01:56.920 --> 00:01:59.200 You should apply before coming in here. Once you come 36 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:03.519 in here, there's a number of different programs at state 37 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:06.840 and local level, including federal level, that can help you 38 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.800 with your assistance, whether it's answering questions or looking for 39 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.039 gaps and assistance. One of the things that we've already 40 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:16.840 done is had over forty thousand applications. 41 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.759 We provide over eight million dollars. 42 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:21.919 But there's a lot of work yet to do and 43 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:23.879 there's a lot of questions out there. So if you 44 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:26.680 have questions, please come in here and do that. It's 45 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:30.439 helpful if you register and apply first. FEMA has a 46 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.919 two critical grant grants that will help individuals. The first 47 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:39.280 is called Other Needs Assistants and the Other Needs Assistance 48 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:41.120 provides for. 49 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:43.639 Provides individuals with. 50 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:50.199 Personal property losses, medical and dental transportation, funeral costs, and 51 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:53.199 other miscellaneous costs. That grant has a cap of forty 52 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.439 three six hundred. 53 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:55.719 The other one is. 54 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.280 Called Housing Assistants and it helps the individuals with prepare 55 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.759 placement and lodging expenses and also has a cap a 56 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.719 forty three thousand and six hentred and indition to those grants, 57 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.439 we provide rental assistance and temporary housing assistance that doesn't 58 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:13.840 cost kind against those grant caps. If you're insured, please 59 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:16.560 go to your insurance company first so we can't duplicate 60 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:20.639 other funny sources. So please go to your insurance company first. 61 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.360 If you have done that, bring that in here and 62 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:29.280 we could go ahead and help you with any unmet. 63 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:31.520 Needs or any under insurance you may have. Through that. 64 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:35.120 Again, there's many other different federal, state, and local agencies 65 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:37.719 here that can help you in your road to recovery, 66 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:41.960 and our teams collectively stand by to help you down 67 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.919 that path. Appreciate the Mayor bringing us all together today 68 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.719 to start the road to recovery here at this disaster 69 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:49.520 recovery center. 70 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:49.960 Thank you. 71 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.840 Starting the road to recovery. Anita Steinson Stinson, who is 72 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:00.680 the SBA Disaster Recovery Administrator, thank. 73 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:08.280 You, Thank you so much, Madam Mayor, and I appreciate 74 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:12.560 the introduction. I am a mere public affairs specialist. Thank 75 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:22.800 you for the promotion. Ladies and gentlemen. As mister Fenton 76 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:27.120 just said, I'm one of the federal resource partners, and 77 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.040 most people are not aware because of our name, the 78 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:37.959 Small Business Administration, that during disasters we give resources to 79 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:43.399 homeowners and renters as well as small businesses and nonprofits. 80 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:48.519 So we so appreciate the media being present and sharing 81 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:54.920 that message wide and far and frequently. Please and what 82 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.600 am I meaning by resources? The Small Business Administration has 83 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:06.800 low interest loans for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and nonprofits, 84 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:12.279 and we are resource partners with FEMA, and we urge 85 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:18.879 you to apply with FEMA first, really simultaneously with FEMA 86 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:23.360 and SBA Disaster and the way people can do that 87 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:29.120 is go to SBA dot gov forward slash disaster, and 88 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:34.040 as mister Fenton stated, it's best to do that before 89 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.560 you come here. And if you look to my right, 90 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:40.399 you will see literally a sea of blue of our 91 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:46.279 customer service representatives that are here to assist survivors with 92 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:50.759 their applications. They can do it here, but if they 93 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:55.120 apply online first, they will see maybe what assistance they 94 00:05:55.199 --> 00:06:01.639 need in person. So what we offer is homeowners can 95 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:07.240 receive up to five hundred thousand dollars plus an additional 96 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:11.319 one hundred thousand dollars for personal property, and renters have 97 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:15.519 access to that personal property. I mean that can be 98 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:20.480 a car, I mean that can be anything that is needed. 99 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:25.399 Businesses and nonprofits can access up to two million dollars. 100 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:29.079 And the most important thing for people to know is 101 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:33.120 that there's no cost to apply, there's no obligation to 102 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:37.079 take the loan, and there are no payments and no 103 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:41.839 interest accruise for the first year. These are very trauma 104 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:48.079 informed and designed loans. So what that means is even 105 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:52.319 if you know, similar to FEMA, we cannot duplicate benefits, 106 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:55.759 so you can figure out what you are eligible for 107 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:58.920 in terms of grants, you can sort out your insurance. 108 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.800 You don't have to for your insurance, which I mean, 109 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.720 let's face it, in a disaster like this, it can 110 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:09.120 take a long time when your insurance is sorted out 111 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:16.680 that recovery gets applied to your loan. Further SBA will 112 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:22.240 allow you to apply for twenty percent additional of the 113 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:27.439 amount of your physical damages to mitigate future losses, which 114 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:32.040 is very, very important, especially in a disaster like this 115 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:37.800 where it's probably going to require fire, retard and rebuilding 116 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:42.560 things of that nature. So again, for businesses it's a 117 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.639 four percent interest rate as low as four percent, and 118 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:50.439 for nonprofits it's three point six two five. So I 119 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:53.519 urge everybody to visit our table or go online. 120 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:58.959 Thank you so much, Thank you, appreciate you both for 121 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:03.160 being here. Let me acknowledge Jim Featherstone, who is the 122 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:06.959 director of the Emergency Operations Center, and he'll be here 123 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:10.519 to answer any questions. Let me start off by saying, 124 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:13.720 for those of you, we had a press conference at 125 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:16.560 eight this morning and we talked about the fact that 126 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:20.040 we're still not out of this emergency. We know in 127 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:23.480 the next twenty four forty eight hours it is possible 128 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:28.079 that there are fires that expand that we have additional 129 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.920 problems within the city, and Jim can go into that 130 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:35.039 in a little further detail in a minute. And so 131 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:40.360 my message to Angelino's is that everybody needs to stay safe. 132 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:46.000 Please please please listen to instructions. If you are told 133 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:49.559 that you are in a warning zone, it would be 134 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:54.200 advised that you actually take that opportunity to lead, get packed, 135 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:59.600 get everything ready. If you wait until evacuation, then you 136 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.039 might caught up in traffic, or you might have some 137 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:05.960 other issues. And you know that a number of people 138 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:09.840 who stayed behind for one reason or another have been 139 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:13.639 severely burned. Some of them didn't survive. I believe that 140 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:19.440 our Sheriff Luna gave some very graphic examples of people 141 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:23.039 who didn't evacuate in time. Everybody wants to help the 142 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:27.879 first responders. Everybody talks about the first responder. If you 143 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:32.480 want to help the first responders, then please follow directions. 144 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:36.240 But while we're going through what I hope is the 145 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:40.759 final hours of this emergency, it's also time to begin 146 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.639 to talk about our recovery. And so the first step 147 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:50.039 of our recovery is opening this disaster Assistance center for 148 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:52.759 people to begin coming in now. As a matter of fact, 149 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:55.279 this center will open up shortly. You know that everything 150 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.039 is just being set up now, but we want people 151 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.759 to come here. This is a one stop shop. There 152 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:05.279 are multiple local, state, county, and federal agencies. They're here 153 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:08.519 and hopefully people will be able to get the services 154 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:11.320 that they need. The other thing is is that there 155 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:15.000 is the disaster recovery, but then there's also the rebuilding. 156 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:20.000 And so yesterday I issued an updated emergency declaration and 157 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.759 I also issued an executive directive that will help facilitate 158 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.879 and fast track the building. I was here in ninety two, 159 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:31.360 I was here in ninety four, and I know one 160 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:33.480 of the ways that we were able to get out 161 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:37.600 of that crisis was to do everything we could to 162 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:42.000 help people who had experience damage or had their businesses 163 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:46.600 or homes destroyed, get up and together and back on 164 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:51.279 their feet by beginning the rebuilding process. I appreciated you, 165 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:55.039 mister Fenton, when you talk today this morning about how 166 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:59.440 there's all sorts of misinformation in terms of what FEMA 167 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:03.039 has to offer, what SBA has to offer, and that 168 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.320 is the point of this center is to be able 169 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:09.480 to clarify some of that to make it easier for 170 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:11.480 people to recover. 171 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:12.360 So if that. 172 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:16.320 Why don't I take some questions to that point. 173 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.919 About this information. What exactly are people entitled to from 174 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.080 FEMA and what are they not entitled? 175 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:30.240 Yeah, so the application process starts with individuals able to 176 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:35.159 evacuated our homes were damage be able to get Serious 177 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:38.720 Needs Assistance, which is a one time grant of up 178 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:42.080 to seven hundred and seventy dollars that covers basic needs 179 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.039 while you're evacuating, things like gas, water, food, maybe if 180 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.399 you're a family, consumables those kind of things. 181 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:51.960 As you go through the application process. 182 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.039 Then if you're insured, you should go to your insurance company, 183 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:58.960 which could help you with most insurance policies will not 184 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:02.039 help you with home but alternate live and expense. If 185 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.840 you're uninsured, you should come to keep on going into FEMA. 186 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:09.720 FAMA could give you the two grants that I talked about. 187 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:12.320 One is called Other Needs Assistance, which is a grand 188 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:15.320 up to forty three thousand, six hundred dollars. It helps 189 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:20.039 with personal property costs, medical and dental transportation, funeral costs, 190 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.080 and miscellaneous costs. 191 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:23.279 The second grant is called. 192 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.279 Housing Assistance, and for the homeowners it would help with repair, replacement, 193 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:32.759 and logic expensive reimbursement up to forty three thy six 194 00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:37.000 hundred in addition to those two grants, if you continue 195 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:40.919 to be displaced longer and your house is destroyed, or 196 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.600 whether it's a homeowner or a renter, you can get 197 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:47.360 rental insurance rental assistance from US where we will provide 198 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:50.720 rental assistance for you based on the family composition insiures 199 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:54.480 of your house for up to eighteen months. And if 200 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:57.759 we get to a situation where rentals are not available, 201 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:00.120 we all also have other forms and other program and 202 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:02.960 for we either bring in housing, are we leased with 203 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:05.080 apartments and create housing. 204 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:08.200 That way, you're hearing the voice of a federal official 205 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:11.159 from FEMA who is speaking about some of the benefits 206 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:14.600 that are there and will be provided to those who've 207 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:18.320 lost homes or even temporary residences might be required in 208 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:22.639 some instances, and so all of this will be discussed 209 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:24.919 I think through the hours and through the days that 210 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:29.519 follow and so FEMA assistance. The mayor's assistant, she was 211 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.600 talking about the fact that they'll fast track the rebuild 212 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:35.440 in Los Angeles, and that's something that's being spoken of 213 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:41.840 in LA and surrounding regions, meaning that most it would 214 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:47.960 seem most areas dramatically affected with the devastation of these 215 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.639 fires will see a waving of a lot of the 216 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:57.000 normal building restrictions that would allow for permitting and for 217 00:13:57.080 --> 00:14:01.279 fast tracking a rebuild. Now a host of other issues 218 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.480 related to that that I'd love the table. We'll talk 219 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:06.399 about them tomorrow, and we'll talk about them in the 220 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:09.399 days to come. You know what kind of fire resistant 221 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:12.480 materials might be included in a rebuild or might be required. 222 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:15.360 But again, it looks as though the general disposition of 223 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:19.240 government is, Hey, don't worry about that stuff. We want 224 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:21.480 to get things back on track. And that was a 225 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:23.519 little of what you were hearing from the mayor and 226 00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:28.639 from the FEMA official in Washington. There is a major 227 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.759 confirmation hearing going on and ABC News investigative reporter Olivia 228 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:35.960 Rubin is joining us now and we want to get 229 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.799 a bit of an update on what is a controversial 230 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:42.600 nomination in Pete Hegseth and where that stands through a 231 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:47.159 morning of hearings. And Hi there, Olivia, Hi. 232 00:14:47.159 --> 00:14:49.720 Thanks for having me. Yeah, I think Pete Hegseth is 233 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:53.279 definitely up there as one of the most controversial nominees, 234 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.840 potentially facing one of the biggest uphill battles. He had 235 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:00.240 a bit of a grilling this morning from Democrat from 236 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:04.679 the Senate Armed Service Committee for his nomination. A pretty 237 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.000 warm welcome from Republicans on the committee, of course, but 238 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:12.559 he sat for about four hours with opening statements, questioning 239 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:17.080 from every member on that panel. Really a marathon hearing. 240 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:21.600 It's done now, and you see, we're seeing some Republicans 241 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:23.279 who are quite happy with the way that it went. 242 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.759 One of the top senators, one of the top Republican senators, 243 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:30.080 John Sun, saying he did a great job according to 244 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:33.919 reports that he's seeing, but really tough questions for headset 245 00:15:34.440 --> 00:15:37.960 from senators about his comments on women in the military. Remember, 246 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:42.360 he suggested that women shouldn't serve in combat roles, though 247 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:44.240 he now says that they should and it was just 248 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:48.240 a matter of standards. Questions about sexual assault allegations, which 249 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:52.039 he denies. He said it was a consensual situation and 250 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:56.320 that he was not charged. Questions about drinking alcohol abuse 251 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:59.559 while on the job, again something he denies. He calls 252 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:03.559 that onymous smears. So he has committed to senators that 253 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:06.159 he would not drink is taking a job. So again, 254 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.840 this is one of the nominees that has had, you know, 255 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:11.679 some of the biggest issues allegations about him, all of 256 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.440 which he has denied. 257 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:14.960 Coming to head with that today, well, it's interesting because 258 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:17.480 none of what you just said addresses one of the 259 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:20.120 most in none of what you just said they said 260 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.799 address is one of the most controversial aspects of Hexith, 261 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:25.919 which is he's going to be running the Department of Defense. 262 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:28.919 It's close to three million people who will be under 263 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:30.639 his employee if you want to think of it, or 264 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:36.159 certainly his control worldwide. And this guy Hexith is Look, 265 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:40.080 he's this gorgeous guy who does the weekend I guess 266 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:43.919 hosting on Fox News Channel. He's well spoken, he's clearly 267 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:46.279 a Trump loyalist, and he appears to you know, he's 268 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:49.480 kind of the poster boy I suppose for some kind 269 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:51.960 of military service if you're only looking at the poster. 270 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:55.799 But his actual experience running anything is pretty thin. As 271 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.519 anyone addressed his sort of qualifications in that area. 272 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.000 Absolutely. That was again a major theme of the hearing today, 273 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:08.240 Senator Timmy Duckworth, again a Democrat, flatly telling them that 274 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:12.240 he is not qualified. It was also Richard Blumenthal who 275 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:17.480 brought up the financial reports of the two small veterans 276 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:21.400 organizations that he ran some of those years. According to 277 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:26.680 the finances, Hexath ended up spending more than he raised, 278 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:30.480 so again putting the organization into a deficit. And again, 279 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:36.440 those are organizations that are significantly, significantly, significantly smaller than 280 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:40.039 what I said has ever been excusing them. In the 281 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:42.440 Department of Defense, if you, of course, mentioned has an 282 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:45.559 over eight hundred billion dollar budget, three members and the 283 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.160 three million members in the military. I think what's also 284 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:53.480 notable is that in Hexas's opening statement, he addressed this 285 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:56.039 fact himself, the fact that he lacks that sort of 286 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:59.599 experience that one might expect, but he framed it as 287 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.559 a He said that it was quote time for a 288 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.200 change agent. That's how he's framing it, and that is 289 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.160 a positive thing. He said, it's time for someone with 290 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:13.319 no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or 291 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:16.240 approved narrative, that he's someone who's going to shake it up. 292 00:18:16.599 --> 00:18:20.440 It's time for someone who has never scrubbed down before 293 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:26.519 to do this heart transplant. I am I'm really questioning 294 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.599 this particular picke. It's just such an interesting one and 295 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.880 I'm sorry if I express a little bit of a 296 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:34.480 huge question mark I see over him. But really that's 297 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:36.559 where it is. I understand that a lot's being made 298 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:39.839 of the drinking and sexual dalliances, et cetera. But wow, 299 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:42.880 you know, this is a really complicated time in America, 300 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:45.559 and I'm sure that this has been visited as well. 301 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.880 You need sort of a real sensitive hand when it 302 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:53.119 comes to being the boss of the Defense Department. 303 00:18:54.920 --> 00:18:58.799 And you know, again going back to Senator Tammy Duckworth, 304 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:03.559 because she really was quite fiery, she said, very plainly, 305 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:07.839 you are not qualified, mister haig Seth, you are not qualified. 306 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:12.000 And you know, again it was something that wrung repeatedly 307 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:15.640 during that hearing, and she ultimately said to him that 308 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.440 the men and women who wear the uniform cannot be 309 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:21.559 led by someone who is not competent. 310 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:22.680 To do the job. 311 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:25.519 So really, I see your point in some of the 312 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:27.759 senators clearly saw it as well bringing that up. 313 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.000 Yeah, and you know, what happens happens. But it really 314 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:33.000 comes down to vote. So Olivia, let me just ask you, 315 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:37.160 Olivia Ribbon from ABC, where does that stand? I mean, 316 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.000 there are the Republican votes to get him passed, to 317 00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:44.039 get him, meaning to pass the confirmation hearings and confirmed 318 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.000 or what is your sense of things. 319 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:49.279 Well, it's a good question, and I don't, you know, 320 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:51.359 pretend to be able to predict predict the future, but 321 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:53.559 I think it's going to be a real question after 322 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:56.759 this hearing to see where some of the more moderate 323 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.400 Republican votes fall. I think, you know, it seems pretty 324 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:02.720 likely that he's not going to get any Democrats, so 325 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:05.039 then you have to then go to the Republican side, 326 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:07.960 and he really only has a few votes to lose. 327 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:10.079 Someone that a lot of people are watching is, of course, 328 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:12.599 Senator Joni Arns. She was one of the senators who 329 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.920 questioned him today during that hearing. Of course, she is 330 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.400 a veteran herself. She's the survivor of sexual assaults. Those 331 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:22.640 are two things that are important to remember. She seemed, 332 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:25.279 you know, to be more supportive of him than she 333 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:27.599 had in the past. You know, she didn't declare her 334 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.640 support or anything, but he had agreed to a couple 335 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:34.839 of her conditions, including appointing someone in the department to 336 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:39.640 investigate and oversee sexual assault allegations. So that seems to 337 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:42.440 be significant. And you know, so far since the hearing, 338 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.839 Republicans do seem please take Senator John Soon, He's a 339 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.559 top Republican. He said that. You know, all the reports 340 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:51.759 he heard was that he was doing great. But again 341 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:55.920 it goes back to some of the more middle Republicans. 342 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:58.559 Like I said, Joni ERNs, think about Senator Susan Collins. 343 00:20:58.839 --> 00:21:00.839 What is she going to say for this hearing? Was 344 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.559 there anything that came out that concerned her? So it's 345 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:05.319 going to be something to watch in the next few days. 346 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:07.880 Again with that margin just so so slim. 347 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:10.799 Yeah, Olivia Rubin from ABC, thank you so much. Nice 348 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:14.480 window on what happened today with the Hegsith confirmation hearing. 349 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:17.519 You know, we'll speak again. Look, this is a to 350 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:21.960 be continued. And you know, Thune is obviously someone who's 351 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:24.799 carried the water for Hexith already, so the fact that 352 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:27.160 he comes down to it, I thought it went great. 353 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:31.119 He's always going to say that. But it would be 354 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:37.039 an extraordinary thing if somebody with no real organizational experience 355 00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:41.720 aside from the veteran's charity that he essentially bankrupted. They 356 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:44.799 got rid of him from the charity and from his 357 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:48.319 position of director based on how poorly he ran it. 358 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:51.720 It would be extraordinary if he were to lead the 359 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:55.079 men and women of the military worldwide and the Pentagon 360 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.440 and be in control of the biggest budget in Washington. Extraordinary, 361 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:02.960 but it might happen. Royle Oaks joins US and Royal. Wow, 362 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:04.640 there's a lot going on. I want to start with 363 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:07.799 Southern California, if you would please, because I saw that 364 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:10.799 there are already four lawsuits that have emerged out of 365 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:14.200 the Eton fire. That's the one that involves Southern California. 366 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:19.640 D Yeah, exactly right, Mark a bunch of lawsuits, several, 367 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:22.839 as you say, filed in connection with the Eaton fire. 368 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:27.039 So basically those suits say that Southern California Edison had 369 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:31.200 a duty to maintain its equipment and not cause of fire. 370 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.359 They say that faulty equipment is owned by the utility 371 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:39.200 sparked the Eaton fire. And it's interesting because the law 372 00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:42.440 is really against the utilities. The law says, believe it 373 00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:45.000 or not, if the utility gets sued, even if they 374 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:47.480 can demonstrate, first of all, they were not negligent. They 375 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:50.359 did everything right in terms of maintaining good equipment. And 376 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:54.440 number two, that they followed regulations, whatever the government told 377 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:57.359 them to do, they did. Even if those two things 378 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:01.240 are true, you still can recover a million against the utility. 379 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:04.680 The idea is they set a semi public and you know, 380 00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:07.720 they can always get the money back by hiking the 381 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:10.920 rates for all rate payers later on to kind of 382 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:14.720 spread the pain around. So, yeah, those are on the 383 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:16.839 books as well as policeds as well. 384 00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:19.359 Yeah, we've seen evidence of doing of them doing just 385 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:22.240 that throughout California North you know, PG and E spread 386 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:25.319 it around. I mean, you know, the rate hikes are legend, 387 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:27.720 but it's interesting to me what you're pointing out is 388 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:31.240 an extraordinary thing. So you go to court, you prove 389 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:34.720 that you're not negligent as a utility, that everything was 390 00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:38.960 at code, which is established by government code and standard, 391 00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:41.039 and you're saying at the end of all of that, 392 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.240 there can still be a judgment against you. 393 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:48.359 Absolutely. It's kind of like this doctrine of ultra hazardous activities. 394 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.240 If you're maintaining something that's you know, what they call 395 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.119 an attractive nuisance where kids would be attracted to come 396 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.200 in and endanger themselves, or if it's just a giant 397 00:23:57.480 --> 00:24:00.920 machine that's super dangerous even if you did everything right. 398 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:04.759 The law says, we really care about paying people who 399 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:08.480 need help, who have accidents who suffered personal injuries. Now 400 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.240 they do have some answers. The utilities sometimes say in court, 401 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:14.119