California Gov. Newsom should take 'no-brainer' action to crack down on wildfire lawlessness, DAs say

Southern California territory attorneys are calling connected Gov. Gavin Newsom to widen terms gouging protections to further assistance wildfire victims, calling it "a layup for the governor."

"I mean, this to maine seems similar a no-brainer," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. "I deliberation the politician would perfectly privation to support the occurrence victims if they're trying to find lodging successful surrounding counties."

Newsom, a Democrat, issued an enforcement bid successful mid-January fast-tracking impermanent lodging assistance to radical displaced by the Southern California wildfires successful Los Angeles County. California Attorney General Rob Bonta besides said astatine the clip that his bureau would prosecute those engaging successful terms gouging amid the earthy disaster. 

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"This is simply a layup for the governor. I mean, this to maine seems similar a no-brainer," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. (Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

"As California’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, I volition clasp to relationship those who question to marque a speedy subordinate disconnected our astir susceptible neighbors," Bonta said successful a station connected X successful mid-January, accompanied by a video statement. 

Spitzer, on with Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, San Bernardino District Attorney Jason Anderson, and Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch, sent Newsom a missive successful precocious January asking the politician to widen the terms gouging protections to the surrounding areas but person stated they person not yet heard backmost from the governor. 

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"Time is of the essence, due to the fact that close now, successful bid for america to complaint terms gouging successful California, we person to person an exigency declaration," Spitzer said. "We don't presently person an exigency declaration for our counties."

Savrnoch and Spitzer told Fox News Digital successful a connection that his bureau had yet to perceive from the governor. 

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"We joined unneurotic to marque this petition successful bid to forestall rental property owners from compounding the calamity imposed connected those who are already suffering owed to having mislaid their properties and been forced to uproot their lives.," Savrnoch said successful a statement. "We are seeking to forestall radical from being capable to nett from the suffering of others. I person not yet received a effect from our request."

In a petition for comment, Newsom's bureau told Fox News Digital, "Will fto you cognize if there’s thing we tin share."

Newsom, a Democrat, issued an enforcement bid successful mid-January fast-tracking impermanent lodging assistance to radical displaced by the Southern California wildfires successful Los Angeles County.  (Eric Thayer)

In the letter, dated Jan. 28, the territory attorneys requested Newsom contented an further declaration of exigency for the surrounding counties of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Santa Barbara. The missive states that specified a declaration would let them to "aggressively prosecute those who question to nett from victims who person mislaid everything successful these unprecedented fires."

"Thank you for your continued concern successful holding these individuals accountable and supporting our chap Californians successful the darkest hours of their darkest days," the missive continues. 

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Currently successful California, terms gouging protections lone travel into play during a authorities of exigency and bars sellers, contractors, concern owners, and different akin entities from charging much than 10% much than what they were charging oregon advertizing earlier the crisis.

One of Newsom's astir caller enforcement orders extends the protections successful L.A. County until March 8. 

Southern California territory attorneys are calling connected Gov. Gavin Newsom to widen terms gouging protections to further assistance wildfire victims, calling it "a layup for the governor." (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)

Newsom besides issued an enforcement bid this week expanding terms gouging protections "to leases of immoderate length, alternatively than lone leases of 1 twelvemonth oregon less."

State officials announced conscionable past week that a 2nd California realtor had been charged with allegedly terms gouging victims of the deadly wildfires. 

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Bonta announced that the authorities was filing charges against a existent property agent, who was not named, alleging that they attempted to terms gouge a family who was evacuated owed to the Los Angeles Eaton Fire. 

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.