Fighting Fire with Policy
Congresswoman Laura Friedman on wildfires, disinformation, and why clean energy isn’t a partisan issue—it’s survival
On this episode of Three Degrees, we went coast to coast—from New Hampshire to Iowa to Los Angeles—to speak with Congresswoman Laura Friedman, who’s running to succeed Adam Schiff in California’s 30th District. She’s no stranger to climate, and she’s not afraid to talk about it.
When we connected, Friedman had just returned from a district tour that included fire-scarred neighborhoods and meetings about habitat loss. And yes, she’s the one with the mountain lion on her website. “That’s a real photo,” she said, referring to the now-iconic image of P-22, the urban cougar that roamed Griffith Park. “He became a symbol for what we’re doing to wildlife—cut off from habitat, poisoned by rodenticides, and ultimately killed trying to navigate the urban sprawl.”
Friedman turned P-22’s story into action, passing legislation on wildlife crossings and banning dangerous rodenticides. But that’s just the beginning of her climate advocacy.
California’s vulnerability is personal for Friedman. She lives in Glendale with her husband and soon-to-be 12-year-old daughter. “We had a fire in the Hollywood Hills that came within yards of densely packed apartments,” she told us. “It wasn’t luck that saved us—it was incredible air support and heroic firefighters.” And those firefighters, she noted, now refer to these blazes as climate fires. “These are not the fires we used to have 20 years ago. The air is drier. The hydrology has changed. The winds are stronger. This is what climate change looks like.”
We asked her what advice she has for other candidates—especially in swing districts—who may be afraid to talk about climate. Her response was blunt: tailor the message, but don’t dodge the issue. “You might not call it climate in every district. But you can talk about clean air, clean water, and energy independence. Those messages win—even in red states.” She pointed out that Texas, hardly a liberal stronghold, is investing heavily in wind and solar because of cost and reliability.
And yes, affordability matters. “People are struggling. Energy bills are high. Gas is expensive. But with renewables, once you pay to generate it, the energy is basically free. And it doesn’t spike with international volatility.”
Then we dug into the aftermath of January’s firestorms, which caused billions in damages—much of it uninsured. “These weren’t just mountain homes. These were suburban neighborhoods. And the Trump administration has said FEMA won’t pay out like it used to. They want to dismantle FEMA altogether,” she warned. “They’re shifting the burden onto states, local governments, and individual victims. That’s inhumane.”
At the same time, she says the federal government is gutting the very tools we need to track and prepare for disaster. “NOAA is being defunded. They’ve stopped counting billion-dollar disasters. This administration thinks if they don’t report it, it’s not happening.”
And the scope of cuts goes beyond climate. “They’re attacking cancer research, veteran services, and even public radio. They’re replacing NPR and PBS with right-wing propaganda outlets while banning science in schools,” she said. “If we stop teaching science—and yes, evolution is next—we won’t be able to compete. Not with China. Not with the rest of the world.”
When asked what her strategy is for the next 18 months, Friedman doesn’t flinch. “Town halls. Roundtables. Court challenges. Lawsuits. Conservative judges—including Trump appointees—have sided with us because what they’re doing is unconstitutional.” But the real goal, she added, is winning back the House and electing Hakeem Jeffries Speaker. “Our tools are limited as the minority. But the courts and the court of public opinion are where we’re holding the line.”
She ended on a note that hit home for all of us. “I worry about my daughter’s future. I worry whether she’ll have a habitable planet. That’s why I go to D.C. every week. That’s why this work matters.”
If you want to support climate candidates like Laura Friedman, she said it simply: “Go to LauraForCongress.org. Help however you can. Because we’re not going to stop.”
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Climate fires....good way to denote today's disasters. Maybe 'climate' tornadoes, 'climate' hailstorms. I had to change drainage issues. After 30+ years, the rain was overwhelming the system's ability to respond. It was being overwhelmed.
Congresswoman Friedman is courageous and accurate simultaneously. Trump's ace in the hole card is the SCOTUS. Without overwhelming resistance to match the overwhelming lies, we will slowly lose this fight. The question becomes, will enough people care?