What do California’s Camp Fire, Eaton Fire (Altadena), and Maui’s Lahaina fire all have in common?
Gavin Newsom’s longtime family friend and business partner Joseph Cotchett.
Cotchett and Newsom were partners in PlumpJack and Hana Ranch on Maui. Cotchett’s firm, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, has represented victims in all three fires, helping secure billions in settlements against PG&E, Southern California Edison, and Hawaiian Electric. The firm earns millions in post-settlement fees while donating hundreds of thousands to Newsom’s campaigns and anti-recall efforts.
Partner Frank Pitre even sits on the Trust Oversight Committee overseeing payouts to Camp Fire victims. Ratepayers fund Newsom's California Wildfire Fund (AB 1054) through higher electricity bills, while Joseph Cotchett’s firm profits. Taxpayers are on the hook to bail out utility companies—like the record $15 billion DOE loan guarantee to PG&E finalized during Biden’s last days in office.