While Californians lose their homes, their livelihoods, and even their lives to devastating wildfires, the state’s corrupt political elite continue raking in millions from corporate overlords like Edison International. These politicians—the same ones who claim to be champions of environmentalism and the public good—are bought and paid for, prioritizing backroom deals over real solutions.
In the first half of 2024, Edison International funneled millions into the pockets of California’s most powerful Democrats, including Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and scandal-ridden State Senator Susan Rubio. Then, as wildfires tore through LA, guess who was suddenly accused of negligence? Edison International. And what happened next? Lawsuits, wrongful death claims, and a judge ordering the company to preserve evidence.
But let’s not kid ourselves—California’s political machine is built to protect its own.
Newsom has been on Edison’s payroll for years. The company was one of his top 20 donors in 2018, dropping over $70,000 into his campaign coffers. By 2023, Edison had escalated its game, spending a staggering $3 million on lobbying to keep Sacramento in its pocket. But the corruption runs even deeper—Newsom’s wife runs a shadowy nonprofit, the California Partners Project, which conveniently accepts money from Edison and other corporations with vested interests in state policies.
And it’s not just Newsom. Edison lavished $72,500 on Attorney General Rob Bonta through its high-powered legal firms right before he conveniently decided not to press criminal charges against them for their role in a previous wildfire. Caught red-handed, Bonta made a half-hearted promise to return “some” of the money—but no doubt, the rest will find its way into his future gubernatorial campaign.
California’s ruling class operates more like a mafia than a government, with key positions being passed down like family heirlooms. In the middle of the latest wildfire scandal, State Senator Susan Rubio—who is reportedly under FBI investigation for bribery—heads the state’s insurance committee, directly overseeing wildfire liability issues.
Meanwhile, an incestuous network of Calderons, Rubios, and other Democrat dynasties continues to enrich itself. Take Ian Calderon, who was caught in Maui, vacationing with SoCal Edison lobbyists while his constituents burned back home. This is the same Calderon family that has been indicted for money laundering and insurance fraud over the past decade, with a revolving door of corrupt relatives taking turns in elected office.
Los Angeles is no better. Mayor Karen Bass’s administration is filled with ex-Edison executives, including Chris Thompson, a former VP for the energy giant, and Luis Gutierrez, who handled Edison’s policy strategy before shifting to Bass’s office. Edison even bankrolled racist ex-City Council President Nury Martinez ($30,000) and dropped another $100,000 into Eric Garcetti’s “Mayor’s Fund” slush pile before he fled to an ambassador gig.
Meanwhile, Edison greases every political gear in the state, bankrolling members of the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee, the LA Board of Supervisors, and key city officials who regulate them. They’re not just lobbying—Edison is buying California.
California’s so-called push for “green energy” is nothing but a money-laundering operation disguised as environmental policy. The Clean Power Alliance—touted by radical Supervisor Lindsey Horvath—forced Edison customers into an overpriced “green energy” scam that charged higher rates for the same power transmitted over Edison’s infrastructure.
And guess what? Horvath just happened to run the Clean Power Alliance before she got elected, while Edison was dumping cash into her former organization, the California Contract Cities Association.
California’s leaders love to blame “climate change” for every fire, flood, and blackout, but the real issue isn’t the weather—it’s corruption.
Over the last decade, a record 576 California officials have been convicted on federal corruption charges, making the Golden State the most corrupt in the country, surpassing even mafia havens like New York and Illinois. Regulations are deliberately designed to keep everyone but well-connected monopolies like Edison in power.
This is not just bad policy—it’s a criminal enterprise.
California’s corrupt politicians are not just failing their constituents—they are actively destroying the state while stuffing their pockets with corporate cash. Wildfires, blackouts, skyrocketing costs—none of it is an accident. It’s the result of a one-party state that has sold itself to the highest bidder.
We will not let these crooks continue to lie to the people of California. The real disaster isn’t climate change—it’s the climate of corruption.
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