Oakland’s prime bureaucrat give up in shame over personal messages stuffed with sexually suggestive feedback about feminine colleagues — however now taxpayers would be the ones footing the invoice with a $400,000 goodbye test.
Former Metropolis Administrator Jestin Johnson, who resigned in Might after the texts got here to mild, may obtain a $409,737 severance package deal beneath a proposal floated by Oakland Metropolis Councilmember Ken Houston.
The decision would have directed town to approve the payout, however Houston pulled it from this week’s assembly agenda. He stated he may deliver the matter again later this yr.
Houston advised KQED he got here up with the thought himself and had not spoken with Johnson about it. He argued that as a result of Johnson was “pressured to resign,” town may very well be susceptible to a pricey lawsuit.
“I’m a enterprise individual, I’m proactive,” Houston stated. “If he sues, which I’d do if I used to be in his place, it’ll price town.”
“Is it higher to surrender $400,000 than $3 million with all of the bills?” he added.
The proposed deal would require Johnson to surrender any future authorized claims towards town in trade for the payout.
The eyebrow-raising proposal comes after textual content messages uncovered Johnson and his lieutenant allegedly discussing feminine workers in crude phrases a number of occasions.
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In a single 2024 trade, Johnson advised a subordinate he needed to management himself round a high-ranking feminine metropolis official.
“I’m telling you, you must sit subsequent to her,” he wrote. “I’ve to drive myself to solely look in her eyes. She had me somewhat giddy yesterday once we needed to take pics.”
In one other message, Johnson referred to a feminine staffer as his “kryptonite.”
“My goodness, [she] has a helluva stroll,” he wrote.
Johnson’s authentic employment settlement included six months of severance if he was terminated with out trigger — however his resignation didn’t qualify him for that payout.
The Oakland mayor’s workplace declined to touch upon the proposal, however residents shortly blasted the thought on-line, questioning why metropolis leaders would take into account rewarding an official who left beneath a cloud of controversy.
“Oakland taxpayers – it’s time to get LOUD. These are our tax {dollars} going to waste,” one person commented. “Have a look at how dangerous our fundamentals are in Oakland like colleges, roads, crime. We have to vote these metropolis council members out and put in place individuals who give a rattling in regards to the fundamental Oaklander.”
Others pointed to a broader frustration with Metropolis Corridor. Others pointed to a broader frustration with Metropolis Corridor.
“Oakland residents get dysfunction. Metropolis Corridor insiders receives a commission,” wrote Sam Singer, who leads a public relations agency.
