Chicago, Baltimore, sure they’re bad, but I don’t think any part of the country has a political class as completely insane, corrupt and entitled as California does. Unlike some of the blighted urban areas, SoCal isn’t naturally that dysfunctional, much of this is a choice, a choice to run a state and key cities like they were a UCLA campus takeover but with lots more money at stake. This is the work of a political class that has become self-electing and self-selecting to the point that being forced to run for office…
… leads to a $2 million emotional distress settlement.
L.A. County’s secretive $2 million payout to its CEO two months ago — first revealed by LAist this week — was to settle her claims that she was harmed by a ballot measure that will change her job to an elected position and by the county’s messaging.
CEO Fesia Davenport had requested the settlement for what she claimed was “reputational harm, embarrassment and physical, emotional and mental distress caused by the Measure G.”
Measure G will transform the CEO job from an appointed position into an elected one starting in 2028.
Davenport was LA County’s first black CEO. LA County is not in good shape. There are also various interests in the area, including the Board of Supervisors, grappling for power with each other.
Now they could have just handled this like adults and leaked hit pieces to the press, dispatched friendly law enforcement allies to raid each other, and accused each other of racism and homophobia, but this ‘safe space’ level nonsense is something else entirely.
Take this in for a moment. Fesia had “emotional distress” inflicted on her by having to run for office in an elected position.
She also wrote that she deserved compensation from her career as the at-will CEO being cut short by the shift to elected CEO in late 2028, which she said also would lessen how much retirement she’d earn.
Measure G “ends my career as CEO at least two years earlier than I intend,” Davenport wrote.
How much was Fesia earning? $810,319.00 with pay and benefits.
By the way note the “secretive” part. Everything in California governance is secretive now.
County supervisors unanimously approved the settlement July 29, with Davenport and county executives giving final sign off in mid-August. But it was not reported publicly until LAist obtained a copy of the settlement and published it this week. The taxpayer-funded deal was also labeled as ‘confidential.’
Not a big deal really because this system casually steals hundreds of millions and billions so why not give Fesia a going away present to compensate for her having to run for office.
The letters show Davenport’s opening request was for $2 million, which is what a majority of county supervisors ultimately agreed to pay her.
By receiving the payment in one lump sum, Davenport wrote she would be able “to earn interest on the funds to help mitigate the lifelong impact of Measure G on my retirement allowance.”
Fesia is 56 years old. She’s being paid an extra $2 million so she can better prep for her “retirement”.
I’m not saying that everyone involved in this should be in prison. At this point, I’m saying everyone involved in governance in LA belongs in prison on general principles.
Meanwhile, enjoy Fesia’s contribution to LA in this stirring video and her swearing in ceremony that will have you swearing at the screen.
