The secretive video obtained and posted by conservative O'Keefe Media Group shows Haden Kirkpatrick, the former Vice President of Innovation and Venture Capital at State Farm speaking openly about the victims of the Palisades Fire and residents of the Bay Area.
Kirkpatrick told the New York Times the video was recorded during a tinder date.
"Like in Marin County and Northern California... or some of the fringe areas like where the Palisades are, there should never be houses built there in the first place," Kirkpatrick said in the recorded video.
"People want to be built in areas where they have natural areas around them for their ego... but it's also a f****** desert."
MORE: State Farm asks for 'emergency' 22% homeowners' insurance rate hike in wake of LA wildfires
The clips are spliced up, potentially leaving out critical context. And we should note the conservative outlet that published it is founded by James O'Keefe. He's the former CEO of Project Veritas, a far-right activist group that's reportedly been subject to lawsuits over publishing undercover content criticized as 'misleading.'
With that said, the clip is highly controversial, given State Farm continues dropping policies in California amidst their request to raise rates as high as 38%.
The person recording asked this question related to that: "It seems like it's all orchestrated?"
"I mean it kind of is... but not in the way that you would think," Kirkpatrick said. "Our people look at this and say oh s*** we're maybe $5 billion short if something happens."
Kirkpatrick also mentioned the recent meeting between the California Dept. of Insurance and State Farm executives. But the California Dept. of Insurance told 7 On Your Side, Kirkpatrick was not present at that meeting.
MORE: 'It's a disaster': Here are top 10 Bay Area neighborhoods with the highest non-renewal rates
"We're overexposed here... you have to let us catch up on our rating." Kirkpatrick said about State Farm's approach to the Dept. of Insurance. "And they'll say 'eh' because the Insurance Commissioner is an elected position - he'll say 'nah.' And we'll say we're going to cancel these policies."
In a statement the sent to 7 On Your Side the state wrote, "We want answers from State Farm. This only raises more questions."
"I think it's shocking... clearly the executive didn't realize he was being taped, but it only confirms what we already thought."
Consumer Watchdog sent a letter to the Commissioner calling the leaked remarks 'more evidence' as to why policy cancellations are being wielded as a strategic bargaining tool.
Meanwhile after firing Kirkpatrick, State Farm denied all his claims. The company provided the following statement on the matter, "These assertions are inaccurate and in no way represent the views of State Farm. They do not reflect our position regarding the victims of this tragedy, the commitment we have demonstrated to the people of California, or our hiring practices across the company. The individual in the video is no longer affiliated with State Farm."
"I just hope this is the nail in the coffin for this rate hike...and if it's not the nail in the coffin for this rate hike... I think Ricardo Lara is going to be looking at a nail in his coffin," said Court.
Take a look at more stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.
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