LA County CEO's Controversial Payout & Successor Search

0:00It's April 16, I'm Cory with the story, this is California News today, driven by AI. Today marks the final day for Fisha Davenport as Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer. She's been on medical leave for the past six months and walked away with a controversial $2 million taxpayer-funded payout that reporters exposed last fall. That payout came after she claimed harm from a voter measure, turning her job into an elected position by December 20, 28, beyond her. Contract end in early 2027. Supervisors approved the full amount she asked for, no haggling, and added a clause barring her from badmouthing them publicly. Published backlash hit hard from residents and county workers who slammed the secret deal as shady. A taxpayer lawsuit filed in February calls it an illegal gift of public funds with no real legal basis, demanding she pay it back. County lawyers fight that, saying it served a public good. Davenport cited serious family health issues for her exit, like a predisposition to the

1:03condition that killed her brother in 2018, and sideline her sisters, one needing round the clock care. She's earned a base salary of $630,813 a year on top of the payout. Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer Joe Nikita has filled in since her October 8th leave, managing the $50 billion budget and over 100,000 employees. Supervisors rolled out a public settlement dashboard for more transparency and will soon pick her permanent replacement.