California is back at it again with the blame game, and this time, two Democratic lawmakers are aiming squarely at oil companies for the devastating fires that tore through Los Angeles. On Monday, State Senator Scott Wiener and his cohort introduced Senate Bill 222, a proposal that would allow insurers and residents to sue major oil companies for their alleged role in fueling climate change—and by extension, the fires. Yes, you read that right. Instead of looking inward at the litany of California’s policy failures, Wiener and company are once again pointing fingers at the fossil fuel industry, as if it magically struck the match.
In predictable fashion, Wiener declared on X (formerly Twitter) that oil companies are the ultimate culprits behind California’s disasters, from last year’s floods to the latest infernos. “The fossil fuel companies knew this was going to happen,” he claimed, accusing them of suppressing climate research decades ago and obstructing a transition to clean energy. The bill, Wiener says, would force these corporations to “atone” for their alleged sins and stabilize California’s crumbling insurance market. That sounds noble enough—until you start peeling back the layers of California’s own responsibility in this ongoing saga of mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
Here’s the reality. While climate change may play a role in shaping broader environmental trends, the immediate cause of these fires—and the havoc they wreak—is far more tied to California’s own dysfunction.
Evidence suggests electrical equipment may have sparked the flames, according to The New York Times. And let’s not forget the staggering neglect by state and local officials who ignored critical infrastructure issues in the Pacific Palisades area, where a major reservoir sat empty for months awaiting repairs. Fire hydrants failed to work during the blazes, a preventable tragedy that highlights just how poorly prepared the state has been for emergencies.
🚨WATCH🚨 With Wildfires Raging And No Help Coming, Neighbors Took Matters Into Their Own Hands
Eaton fire victim: “We can’t afford continued apathy from the mayor and the governor.”
“I would be grateful for anyone showing up. I would be grateful if the President showed up.” pic.twitter.com/NEQ6xNDna3
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 22, 2025
But wait, it gets better. While communities burned, state and municipal leaders have been busy prioritizing “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives over, say, basic emergency preparedness. Apparently, virtue-signaling took precedence over ensuring that water infrastructure was functional. Is this really about protecting Californians, or is it just another excuse to deflect accountability?
And here’s a kicker for you: this bill wasn’t even crafted by lawmakers themselves. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, activist groups like California Environmental Voters, Extreme Weather Survivors, and the Center for Climate Integrity pitched the idea to Wiener’s office. So, essentially, it’s a green lobby wishlist dressed up as legislation. These groups and their allies in Sacramento seem less interested in solving California’s fire problem and more focused on advancing their climate crusade—regardless of the actual root causes of the disaster.
Meanwhile, the state-run FAIR Plan, which serves as California’s insurer of last resort, is expected to join the legal crusade against energy companies under this bill. But there’s a glaring issue: FAIR doesn’t have the financial resources to cover the extensive damages caused by these fires, as noted by Fitch Ratings analyst Gerald Glombicki. So what’s the real plan here? Bankrupt the oil companies and hope it somehow fixes California’s self-inflicted wounds?
Let’s be clear: no one is suggesting that oil companies are saints, but the idea that they’re solely responsible for California’s woes is absurd. The fires weren’t caused by Big Oil dumping barrels of gasoline into the forests—they were sparked by faulty electrical equipment and fueled by years of government negligence, mismanagement, and shortsighted policies. Maybe instead of concocting new ways to sue corporations, California’s leaders should focus on fixing their own broken systems.