Interview Only: Reporting on location of the LA Fires ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman.

Summary

Summary of The Stephen A. Smith Show Episode: Reporting on Location of the LA Fires with ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman

Introduction

In this gripping episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves deep into the devastating wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County. Joined by Matt Gutman, the Chief National Correspondent for ABC News, Smith provides listeners with an on-the-ground perspective, exploring the causes, impacts, and broader societal implications of the disasters. Released on January 14, 2025, this episode offers a comprehensive analysis of one of California's most severe wildfire events.

Overview of the Wildfires

Stephen A. Smith opens the discussion by outlining the severity of the wildfires affecting Los Angeles. He emphasizes the staggering numbers associated with the destruction:

• Structures Destroyed: Initially reported at 10,000, estimates quickly escalated to between 15,000 and 20,000 structures.
• Economic Damage: Early figures ranged from $50 billion to $60 billion, with some speculations pushing the estimate to $75 billion.
• Displacement: Approximately 75,000 individuals have been displaced from their homes.

Smith critiques California's preparedness, attributing the scale of the disaster to inadequate forest management and insufficient utilization of available water resources. He states, “...we all know there's a weather tax in California... What have you had a water that was coming down or the water that they had available to them wasn't necessarily utilized effectively and efficiently enough” ([01:02]).

Causes and Contributing Factors

Matt Gutman provides a detailed account of the possible causes behind the wildfires:

1. Climate Change: Prolonged dry conditions with limited rainfall over the past eight months have created tinderbox conditions.
2. Arson Investigations: Gutman mentions ongoing investigations into potential arson, citing social media videos hinting at human involvement. “Arson is part of the investigation... nothing is confirmed yet” ([10:00]).
3. Infrastructure Issues: Problems with electrical transmission towers are under scrutiny, especially concerning the Eaton fire. Gutman notes conflicting reports from Edison International, which claims no anomalies were detected at the time of the fires.

Impact on the Community

The wildfires have had a profound effect on the Los Angeles community:

• Destruction of Key Facilities: Schools, libraries, supermarkets, and recreational centers have been completely destroyed. Matt shares a personal anecdote, showing the ruins of his cousins' school: “This is where both of my cousins went to school... everything is left destroyed” ([06:38]).
• Fatalities and Injuries: So far, eight people have lost their lives, with an additional 14 to 16 individuals unaccounted for due to the Eaton fire.
• Physical and Psychological Trauma: The ferocity of the fires, combined with high winds, has left residents traumatized. Matt recounts the terrifying experience during high wind gusts: “The winds changed and it was going towards our neighborhood. It was really scary” ([07:30]).

Insurance and Economic Concerns

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the financial ramifications:

• Insurance Challenges: With insurance companies retracting fire coverage, many residents find themselves underinsured or unable to afford relocation. Matt expresses concern for long-term community stability: “What's going to happen there? Some people... have been living in their homes for over 40 years... a lot of people aren't going to be able to afford to move back here” ([18:14]).

• Economic Estimates: Damage estimates are projected between $250 billion to $275 billion, reflecting not just property loss but also infrastructure and community displacement.

Political Responses and Accountability

Stephen A. Smith critically examines the role of California's leadership in the disaster:

• Governor Gavin Newsom: Smith holds Governor Newsom accountable for the lack of preparedness and resource allocation. He juxtaposes Newsom's official responses with harsh criticism from former President Donald Trump, who called Newsom “incompetent” and refused to authorize additional water resources ([22:06]).

• Public Sentiment: Smith highlights the growing public frustration with political leaders, questioning the benefits of residing in California amidst high taxes and inadequate disaster response. “Consider their tax rates... it’s a sanctuary city... We're tired of hearing you on the phone with the president” ([02:30]).

Community Resilience and Support

Despite the devastation, Matt Gutman observes a strong sense of community resilience:

• Aid Distribution: Significant efforts are underway at locations like the Santa Anita Raceway in Pasadena, where aid such as clothing, diapers, generators, and tents are being distributed.

• Volunteer Efforts: Residents from across the country, including firefighters from Mexico and Canada, have mobilized to combat the fires and support victims. Matt praises the community's generosity: “People have come out from all over. There are places where pets are being helped... incredible pace and generosity” ([20:17]).

• Hope Amidst Tragedy: Matt remains optimistic about the community's ability to rebuild, despite the overwhelming challenges: “They are trying to do, you know, with just incredible pace and generosity” ([21:00]).

Conclusion

The episode culminates with a poignant reflection on the disaster's magnitude and the uncertain path ahead. Smith urges listeners to support wildfire victims through organizations like the Red Cross, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action. He also anticipates further discussions with Governor Newsom, anticipating answers to critical questions about California's future and disaster preparedness.

Notable Quotes

• Stephen A. Smith on California’s Tax Burden:

  “It's not just homes, but schools, the library, high school, elementary schools, supermarkets, the rec center, everything is gone.” ([06:39])

• Matt Gutman on Firefighting Challenges:

  “There was nothing that anybody could have done. They were spraying hoses at something that was 15 feet away... the wind was blowing it back at them.” ([15:02])

• Stephen A. Smith Criticizing Governor Newsom:

  “He wants to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt by giving it less water. It didn't work, but didn't care about the people of California.” ([22:06])

• Matt Gutman on Community Efforts:

  “There has been a massive outpouring in a way that I don't think anybody imagined in this messy, complicated, traffic-ridden city...” ([20:17])

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show provides an in-depth exploration of the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, blending on-the-ground reporting with critical analysis of political and economic factors. Through the expert insights of Matt Gutman and Smith's incisive commentary, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the disaster's multifaceted impact and the urgent need for effective responses and policy changes.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Right now. The story ravaging through our nation, these wildfires. Let me tell you what I've been thinking and we're going to have on a reporter that's on site an expert in this kind of stuff. I mean, the guy is a chief news correspondent. He's big time and I'm looking forward to talking to him and I'll introduce him to you in just a few minutes. He's out there in California as we speak and in Los Angeles and it's a mess. It's a mess. I'm not going to get into specifics in terms of the amount of damage because we keep hearing something new every single day. 10,000 structures destroyed. And then we heard it was 15, potentially 20. We heard 50 billion in damage. Then it eclipsed to 60 billion. Now people are speculating over 75 billion people have been displaced from their homes. Obviously you're wondering what's going to happen with them because of, of of insurance companies dropping, dropping their coverage, particularly their fire coverage. You're hearing that the reason that happened was because California didn't do the greatest of jobs in sweeping up the floor. Forest floors, as dry as it's been over the last eight months, been very, very limited in the amount of rain. And what have you had a water that was coming down or the water that they had available to them wasn't necessarily utilized effectively and efficiently enough. The the water coming out of fire hydrants wasn't enough power. You heard all of this stuff. One minute is not enough water, another minute there's not enough power coming out, or pressure, rather, coming from the fire hydrant. So you could, you know, get rid of these fires. All of this stuff is going. Is going on right now. And here's the conclusion that I've come to. I'm not gonna say this definitively because we all know there's a weather tax in California. The weather's beautiful in Southern California. That's why they've been able to charge what they've been able to charge. That's why they've had the nation's highest individual income tax rate and high sales tax burden. Sales tax burdens and stuff like that. Income tax, sales tax, the list goes on and on. You just look at a whole bunch of stuff. I mean, it's one thing I'm reading here. The state also has high income and sales tax, as well as income tax applying to all retirement income, excep, Social Security. In other words, the state of California are professionals are getting your money. They're professionals, are getting your money. I would know. I've been getting tax from them for years. And I gotta tell you something right now, because of my travels back and forth for espn, I can tell you this right now. There's a legitimate discussion that has to take place as to what. As to how beneficial it is to live in the state of California. Seriously, when you consider their tax rates, property taxes don't seem to be that extreme in some people's eyes. But the sales, the income tax, the sales tax, and all the expense that comes with living in the state. When you just as I read to you last week learned that California had collected approximately $221 billion in tax revenue, there better not be a money problem. There better not be. You just hear some of these things that's going on right now, and you really, really find yourself wondering what the hell is going on in the state of California. You really find yourself wondering about that. And how beneficial is it to be there outside of the warm weather? It's a sanctuary city. You know, they're not trying to capitulate the federal laws, especially with Donald Trump coming in into office. Gas prices, food prices, cost of living, all of these things. Very, very relevant. And then you got a governor and you wait for answers from him. We're tired of hearing you on the phone with the president. You're on the phone with the president. No, we don't want to hear that. Gavin Newsom's got some explaining to do. Karen Bass. I don't even know if I want to hear from her. I think she's going to get recalled. I think she's been such a disaster with this whole ordeal. I think she's going to get recalled, but that will be a subject that we can get into a little bit later. Right now there's more pressing things to find out about, to discover, and who better to talk to about that than my next guest? We welcome to the show now the chief national correspondent for ABC News, Mr. Matt Gutman himself. How are you, Matt? How's everything?

[A]

It's been a bit tough, Steve. It's been a rough go for, I think, so many people in California right now. How are you doing?

[B]

I'm doing all right. Thank you for being on the show. Now, just paint a picture for us because we've read the reports, we've seen the news, but you're out there. And correct me if I'm wrong, do you not live out there, sir?

[A]

I live in Encino, which is just over the mountain over there, an area that's actually under mandatory evacuations as well, also evacuation warning. So, yeah, like a lot of us are living this, experiencing it and working through it. So, you know, we talk about the scale. STEPHEN A. And you mentioned that people are reading about it, the news. But every time I come back to the Palisades or to the Altadena fire, I notice something new. And just now with my cameraman, Juan, we came upon this, this destroyed place that I'd seen many times. But the destruction is so vast here that everything is disorienting. So you sort of don't know where you are anymore. This is the, the village school. This is where both of my cousins went to school. And, and this is what's left of it. I'm gonna have him just show you the inside.

[B]

Oh, my goodness.

[A]

Just completely wrecked. And, and just on the other side of it is the, the Ralph Supermarket, the major supermarket in town. The other major supermarket called Gelson's, also burned down. And I think that's what's so unique about this fire is it's not just homes, but schools, the library, high school, elementary schools, supermarkets, the rec center, everything is gone. And it's, it's hard to wrap your head around. My aunt's house burned down Tuesday night. So, you know, it's like it affects so many people in the community. Mercifully, not many people were killed here in the fire. Eight people so far, eight fatalities and 14 others or 16 others in Altadena. So at the, at the Eaton fire, so deadly, but could have been even.

[B]

More devastating right now. How Many structures have been destroyed. How many homes are they speculating have been destroyed?

[A]

So they're still counting. And we've seen search and rescue teams still going house to house in many of these neighborhoods, trying to assess fully the damage and trying to see if there are remains of people in the debris. But right now here in the Palisades, it's around 5,600, probably a little more, and around 7,000 in Altadena. So, you know, they're talking around, you know, almost 12,000 homes and structures destroyed total from those fires last week. And, you know, we've got another Santa Ana wind event bearing down tonight with 70 mile per hour wind gusts. So everybody's on tenterhooks again and people are traumatized here. Stephen A freaked out my wife, who I love, but, you know, it was a really scary thing Friday night. The winds changed and it was going towards our neighborhood. And people having seen what happened here were really, really scary, really scary.

[B]

And of the fatalities that, that, that have, that have been recorded that, you know, you've highlighted some of the numbers is the belief that folks were trapped and they couldn't get out or that they refused to leave and they thought that somehow some bypass. What, what, what, what do. What, what do we know about that in that regard?

[A]

It's a really good question. So we don't know exactly, but many of the deceased were elderly or people with disabilities who couldn't get out. Right. The, the, the, the real piece of luck, if there is such a thing in, in this unbelievable tragedy, is that it happened especially here in the Palisades at, you know, started at 10:30, but was really cooking bu and middle of the day. Some people were at work, other people were awake. A firefighter told me this morning that had it happened at 2am like so many other fires, there would have been more fatalities. Just, you know, it's hard to get people awake. They don't hear it, their hearing aids are out, and it would have been much worse. So, you know, we don't know what caused the fatalities, but typically and most of the victims are people who are elderly or disabled and just physically couldn't make it to the exit, couldn't make it to a car to be able to get to safety.

[B]

In terms of the actual fires that took place, has there been a definitive reason that has been established as to what happened in that regard and the forest floors not being cleaned, et cetera, et cetera, has there been a definitive reason that has been provided?

[A]

No, and it could be a while, but I mean, I think that's the central question that everybody here is asking. And you, if you go on, on YouTube or TikTok or any of the social media or Instagram, you see like, all these videos purporting to show somebody setting a fire, some arsonist on this hill doing that, nobody knows right now. Arson is part of the investigation. Right? It's a factor that they're examining on the other fire, the Eaton fire, which was more catastrophic in terms of damaged homes and destroyed homes and fatalities. That's mostly being investigated as probably something having to do with the transmission towers. And there are now three videos that we have, and there's a fourth that we haven't fully confirmed that shows a fire breaking out at the base of an electrical transmission tower just across the canyon from where these homes were in Altadena. And multiple people have it at almost the exact same time. Now, the, the electrical company, Edison International, has said we haven't seen any anomalies at that time. Everything was operating as it should. They're not denying that it was them. They're just saying there's nothing but their transmission towers as a cause. So that's what is being investigated there. But there are a number of reasons, and it could be, you know, that the brush wasn't cleared and it could be a million things. But the bottom line is, you know, climate change has made it possible for such a massive windstorm to hit this part of town, which is, I mean, you've been here so many times, right? Like, the Palisades is nice, it's lush, it's much cooler than the rest of L. A. It's got that dampening marine layer in the summer. So this place, it feels different. It's just less humid and more moist. And you don't think of it happening here, but we've had eight months without any significant rain that has dried everything up. And I wish I could show you stuff, but it's. It's been watered or burned here, but it was so dry here. So you have a combination of those ferocious wind, everything being so dry, the most densely packed county in the country with 10 million people, and that is a recipe for an absolute colossal disaster, which is what happened.

[B]

Matt, what about all of these, these reports about there wasn't enough water in the fire hydrants? What about that?

[A]

That may be the case. Right. So the, the Santa Ines reservoir, which is about a mile in that direction, maybe even less, was supposed to supply water, but it was closed down for repairs for whatever reason. And what firefighters told Me is that they were hooking up to the hydrants and the pressure wasn't enough to fill the tanks and their engines in the ladder trucks, right? So they couldn't get enough water fast enough. The pressure wasn't right, so it couldn't blast fast enough. But one of the problems was that there were so many trucks in so many different parts of this town, all at the same time trying to access that water, that they don't think any amount of water in the reservoir would have been able to have been enough a battery. See this house right there? The house next to it burned. The house across the street, the supermarket, everything here is gone. And so all of the 3 quarter inch sprinkler hoses in all these neighborhoods busted, right? And so they're leaking all over the place. So when we came in here early Wednesday morning, when the fire was at its most ferocious. I'll go back here. There was water everywhere on the ground. Stephen A. I'm like, what? Okay, there's water everywhere. What's the problem? And it was just leaking in my aunt's house. It's like a swamp. So firefighters put water on it. The thing burned down. The ash and the soot and the clay and the dishes and the. The dishwasher and the dryer and everything just sort of got to be this muddy stuff. And you walk in there and it's like six inches of swamp because the sprinkler hoses broke. In addition to the water from the hoses created this massy soup. And that's what you see in so many different places here. And the fire Chief at Station 69, which is right here in the heart of town, you know, like, it's the kind of place where kids do their birthday parties. Like, they're so part of the community. My cousins did their birthday parties there, took my grandmother there. They put their fire jacket on my grandmother at age 96. Like, they're the nicest, best people. They fought like hell, man. They fought like hell. They were up for, I think like 72 hours. And they said that given the winds, given the fire, 100. Okay, Juan, show them that. So the fire was higher than that electricity pole, right? 100ft high and cantilevered down, like sideways on these guys. He's like, I've never seen anything like it. There was nothing that anybody could have done. They were spraying hoses at something that was 15ft away, like that wall, and the wind was blowing it back at them. Just stuff that boggles the mind. So he's saying, and he's got, like, he could have an axe to grind. He could blame the city or the mayor for not having adequate resources, but he said, I don't think any amount of resources, any amount of water would have made enough of a difference.

[B]

Matt, I know you've interviewed Governor Gavin Newsom in the past. I know you know him. Have. Have you spoken to him since all of this has transpired?

[A]

I haven't yet spoken to him. We're planning on it either today or tomorrow. I've spoken to his people. It's complicated. Complicated today.

[B]

I can imagine. So I'm wondering, you being out there, you being out there, what is the noise like? I mean, I've gone off about what we've seen and what we've heard. Obviously, he's taking a lot of heat. Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles, she's taking a lot of heat. If you've had time to digest the climate that is out there as it pertains to the politicians and the level of culpability the people feel they have, what would you describe that as being at this moment in time?

[A]

I think people are pretty upset. I think people are upset, and I think maybe they have reason to be, but we don't know yet. What I can tell you is that arson is being investigated, that it's very possible that there were very bad people who started this fire, knowing exactly where to plant this first seed of a fire, knowing that given the winds, they would come right into town. Because where that fire started, you could not have planned it. If it were just an accident, it would be crazy. I'm not saying it is not an accident. We seriously don't know. But it just happened to be in a place that pushed that fire right through the heart of this town. And Altadena, there was no suspicion of that. There's a suspicion that something may have gone wrong with the transmission wires. Again, it's not confirmed in any way, but, you know, were they prepared? Could they have called out more mutual aid? Could they have had, you know, all the equipment and all the people that they have now, which is an unbelievable amount. And. Stephen A. I don't know if you guys were watching this weekend and maybe you can roll this over, but yes, we were watching the air attack from my house. Right. Dozens of helicopters. It was like Vietnam. It was like Apocalypse Now. Watching this thing, you know, with the chapters going over your head, you know, like listening to Wagner.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was so intense with. With Chinooks. Chinooks and. And firefighting helicopters and. And the DC whatevers. The DC10s flying over, they assaulted that fire on the ridge above our neighborhood in a way that I don't think I've ever seen. If they had had that kind of air assault, if they could have flown in those winds, maybe it would have made a difference. Or maybe if they'd had all these thousands and thousands of auxiliary firefighters, maybe it would have made a difference. But again, when you talk to the people here on the ground, they say, man, I don't know. That nature, it was so powerful, so indomitable. Maybe there was nothing we could have done, maybe there was nothing that anybody could have done.

[B]

Being a chief national correspondent, I know that you've got a whole bunch of sources, connections and whatever, but this doesn't involve that. Do we've heard a number 60 billion, 70 billion in terms of the amount of damage that has been incurred.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What I'm not asking you to speculate, just ask you to tell me what you've heard about approximately what that number would be, particularly at this moment in time, not even taking into account more, you know, further damage that would be investigated.

[A]

Obviously, you know, these are, I think, the median household. They say it's 2 million, but it could be much more of the median house price in Pacific Palisades. In Altadena, it's over a million. There are, you know, 25 and $40 million homes that have been destroyed here. It's the infrastructure, the water system, roads have been impacted so much in both of these places. And the big question is, how is insurance going to cover this? What's going to happen there? Yeah, some people, like my aunt, have been living in their homes for over 40 years, and I have a feeling that she's underinsured. And a lot of people aren't going to be able to afford to move back here. So it's going to be in the many tens of billions, that's for sure. The question is, what happens to these communities? Can people move back to Altadena and these places that they have had homesteads for generations, families who have been able to find a refuge there against Jim Crow laws to build houses and create equity. Can they go back now? Are they going to be insured enough? And then what happens to the rest of the of the city? Insurance company is going to want to invest in California and insure people here. I mean, it's, it's, it's a scary prospect. This is a huge liability. And a massive question for Governor Newsom. Who knows? I'm going to probably ask him this question. All of These people, the tens of millions of people that Newsom and others want to stay here, how are they going to be protected?

[B]

I'm wondering about that myself. Just reading, doing some research here. It talked about insurance companies abandoning folks in California with regard to the wildfires even before it took place. You know, you know, more than 10,000 structures in Los Angeles county being destroyed. You had stuff like this going on. Rising costs and cancellations have left many of the five victims without adequate means. And that's exactly what you're talking about here. And I don't know what's going to happen moving forward. So with that being said, very last question to you, how is the Los Angeles community pulling together in all of this and you estimate based off of what you've seen?

[A]

You know, so I love this question. I love this question because, you know, people are like, oh, la. It's so la. And it is. Right, like people can be vain and they can be fickle here. But are you guys seeing what's happening at the Santa Anita Raceway on the other side of town in Pasadena near there? There is a, like a literal mountain of, of stuff, of aid of clothes, of diapers, beds of bedding, anything you could, generators, tents, like anything you can imagine is there. People have come out from all over. There are places where pets are being helped. Like, the amount of outpouring has surprised me and blown me away in the most positive way. And I'm so happy to see it. Elated. And had we been not locked down in my neighborhood this weekend, I would have taken the kids. But we couldn't get out of our neighborhood because there was National Guard posted down the street. But that's another issue. But yeah, like there has been a massive outpouring in a way that I don't think anybody imagined in this messy, complicated, traffic ridden city full of natural disasters, but also great beauty. Right? Like where we are is a beautiful place, is beautiful and the people are coming together in a way that is truly impressive. So I've been so heartened to see that. I know my colleagues are, we're out there at the Santa Anita Raceway and all the other places where they have been congregating and putting all of this aid together for the people who are, who are homeless right now, who've been burned out of their homes. So what? The insurance companies may not be able to provide them right now. I think the people of L. A, the residents here are trying to do, you know, with just incredible pace and generosity.

[B]

Well, let me say this to you outside of this interview Being must see because you've done such an exceptional job. It'll be even better when we see you in front of California Governor Gavin Newsom, because he's got a lot of questions. He's got a lot. He's got, he's got to have some answers to a lot of these questions. And that's going to be Must See TV whenever he sits down with you, hopefully very, very soon. Matt Gutman, chief national correspondent for ABC News, thank you so much for your time, and I really appreciate it. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you, Steve.

[B]

Yeah. That's outstanding information provided by Matt Gutman. I just feel so sorry for those folks out there. And just, just, just to reiterate, authorities say at least 24 people died and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires burned across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The total damage and economic loss from the wildfires is now being estimated. Remember, I said 50, 60, 75, whatever, I didn't know, whatever. Now they're saying it's between 250 to 275 billion. According to AccuWeather. Meanwhile, thousands of firefighters from across the country are battling the flames, including other firemen from Mexico and Canada. They've joined the fray. Roughly 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders. And as for the response to the disaster, California Governor Gavin Newsom, who I brought up a couple of times to Matt, responded, because you knew that President Trump was gonna have something to say. And I told how he was critical of Gavin Newsom, saying basically this was his fault. Here's what Trump had to say. In wake of the fires last week, quote, Governor Gavin News scum refused to sign a water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snow melt from the north to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way, he wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt by giving it less water. It didn't work, but didn't care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to flow into California. He is to blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster. End quote. Naturally, Governor Newsom responded by saying this in writing a letter to Trump. He invited him to his state to tour the destruction. Newsom wrote, quote, I invite you to come to California again to meet with the Americans affected by these fires see the devastation firsthand and join me and others in thanking the heroic firefighters and first responders who put their lives on the line. Okay, here's the deal. First things first. Donald Trump called them new scum. Clearly, he does not like this man. He sat up there and called him an incompetent governor. All in the same graph, all in the same tweet. He called them news scum and he says he's an incompetent governor. So clearly he doesn't like the man. Let's call it what it is, okay? That's more than we could say for him and Obama, which I'll get into a little bit later. But then I'm thinking about this story that I read when you had former Trump administration officials. This is what they've said. They've indicated that Trump initially refused to release federal disaster aid for the wildfires in California in 2018, withheld wildfire assistance for Washington state in 2020, and severely restricted emergency relief to Puerto Rico in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017 because he felt those places were not sufficiently supportive of him. I sincerely hope that's not true. I sincerely hope that Trump with not do that. Now, if you're Donald Trump and you want to turn California red, or at least from blue to purple or something, something closer to red, I don't think it would be wise for him to engage in such petulant and irresponsible behavior. So I guess the thing that we can say is we shall see. We shall see. But he did withhold, according to his, the people that worked in his administration. He was hesitant and providing relief for the state of California 2018 and Washington state in 2020, in Puerto Rico as well, because he felt they weren't supportive enough for him. Now, if he did something like that, that would be scummy, to use his word. New scum. That would be bad. That would be bad. I just want to say that. Okay, there's no way around that. By the way, thanks again to Matt Gutman for coming on the show to talk to us about what's transpiring with these wildfires. If you'd like to help the thousands of victims of Southern California, please visit RedCross.org, once again. That's RedCross.org to donate today.

[A]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. What's up everyone? Julie swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson. We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go. The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb. Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right? Exactly.

[B]

And you'll never know who will drop.

[A]

By to join us. Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe. Listen to Energy Line with Nate and.

[B]

Jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.

[A]

Or wherever you get your podcasts.