A Lawsuit Claims LA County Board of Supervisors Gave CEO Fesia Davenport a Massive Payout
An explosive new lawsuit alleges that the LA County Board of Supervisors approved a substantial seven-figure payout to county CEO Fesia Davenport, which critics are slamming as an illegal use of public funds.
The payout, which was secretly agreed upon in a closed-door deal last year and only recently uncovered by LAist, was supposedly meant to compensate Davenport for alleged harm to her reputation, embarrassment, and emotional distress following the passage of a ballot measure that would transition her appointed position to an elected one by 2028.
The lawsuit was filed by county resident Ana Cristina Lee Escudero, asserting that the $2 million payout violates the California constitution. The filing claims that Davenport’s demands were unfounded and that the payout was not a legitimate resolution of a legal dispute but rather a disguised allocation of public funds approved in secrecy.
In a surprising turn, Davenport had previously communicated to the Board of Supervisors in 2024 that she had no intention of pursuing litigation on this matter.
Davenport, who reportedly took medical leave in October and has been absent from the office since, is alleged to have negotiated this sizable sum while simultaneously informing county employees that there were no funds available for raises.
“That’s a significant amount of money, especially when the county is citing financial difficulties,” remarked Anthony Meraz, a deputy sheriff and vice president of the sheriff’s deputies’ union, in an interview with LAist. “Leaders should prioritize the well-being of those under their care,” he added.
“Our members are extremely upset about this,” said David Green, president of SEIU 721, a union representing numerous county government employees.
Mira Hashmall, a private attorney retained by the county to defend the agreement, has dismissed the lawsuit as groundless, arguing that the payout served a legitimate public purpose by preventing potential legal action.
The lawsuit seeks to compel Davenport to return the $2 million to taxpayers.
