- CF: The Frank
- Posts
- ️🔥 LA Arson Arrests
️🔥 LA Arson Arrests
Citizen Frank
January 13, 2025
In partnership with
Good evening. It’s Sunday, January 12.
Important note: cf.org is rebranding to thefrank.com. Soon you’ll find us under our new name.
Southern California authorities have arrested two people in separate fire-starting incidents amid the deadly, days-long wildfire that has burned down Los Angeles County neighborhoods, killed at least 24 people, and forced thousands to evacuate.
Police from different agencies said two of those arrested have been charged with arson, while investigators lacked enough probable cause to charge a third man originally handcuffed on suspicion of arson. That suspect was charged with a separate felony.
None of those in custody have been accused of starting the major fires in the area or been otherwise tied to them.
Stay up-to-date with AI
The Rundown is the most trusted AI newsletter in the world, with 800,000+ readers and exclusive interviews with AI leaders like Mark Zuckerberg.
Their expert research team spends all day learning what’s new in AI and talking with industry experts, then distills the most important developments into one free email every morning.
Plus, complete the quiz after signing up and they’ll recommend the best AI tools, guides, and courses – tailored to your needs.
Tens of thousands protested in Romania’s capital on Sunday against a top court’s decision last month to annul the presidential election after an outsider candidate unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner.
Many of the demonstrators in Bucharest honked horns and waved Romania’s blue, yellow, and red flags, while others brandished placards bearing slogans such as “Democracy is not optional” and “We want free elections.” Many also demanded the resumption of the presidential race from the second round.
The protest comes a month after the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the election just two days before a Dec. 8 runoff. The far-right populist Calin Georgescu shocked many when he won the first round on Nov. 24, after which allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged.
Days after fawning over what tech magnate Elon Musk’s deep pockets could do for the MAGA movement, Steve Bannon went berserk on the world’s richest man and vowed to limit his White House influence.
Bannon, 71, who hosts the “War Room” podcast and has a penchant for plotting all-out brass-knuckled political warfare, suggested Musk “should go back to South Africa” and decried his stance on H1-B visas.
“I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day,” Bannon, told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera last week, per excerpts translated by his former employer Breitbart. “He will not have a blue pass to the White House, he will not have full access to the White House, he will be like any other person.”
After the initial crush of personnel announcements for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, now the nominations process officially begins.
Senate hearings are scheduled this coming week for several of Trump’s picks for the Cabinet. Many have met with senators individually. Now, they will go before the committees overseeing the agencies that Trump wants them to run.
Here’s a look at the schedule for Senate hearings set so far, in Eastern time.
As Los Angeles battles its worst fire in history, fire department’s highly-paid diversity head is facing an inferno of backlash after a bizarre comment surfaced in which she appears defend DEI hiring by blaming victims.
In a video defending the department’s DEI hiring practices, Deputy Chief Kristine Larson — who heads the Equity and Human Resources Bureau — addressed accusations that female firefighters aren’t strong enough carry a man out of a burning building.
Her response: “He got himself in the wrong place if I have to carry him out of a fire.”
A Change.org petition demanding the resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has surpassed 100,000 signatures as wildfires continue to devastate Southern California.
Started by a user identified as “Frustrated Californian,” the petition accuses Bass of “gross mismanagement” and a lack of leadership during the crisis.
The petition points to Bass’ diplomatic trip to Ghana, which left her out of the country when the fires erupted. It also criticizes the city’s preparation and resource allocation, including water shortages and underfunding of emergency services.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has arrested nearly 30 people in areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires, as concerns of looting remain.
At a news conference on Sunday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 25 people have been arrested in the Eaton Fire area and four people in the Palisades Fire area. In response to the increase in arrests, Luna has requested additional assistance from the National Guard.
Luna said a man suspected of burglary was wearing firefighter gear when he was arrested in the Malibu area.
Attorney Alina Habba has irked some conservatives for her gushing greeting to internet personality Andrew Tate on a Friday podcast.
Habba defended President-elect Donald Trump through multiple trials in 2024 and has been tapped to serve as a White House counselor in the Trump administration.
Tate, who made millions selling violent pornography, has been indicted on charges of human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
Reply