Top Oakland Official Resigns Over Inappropriate Texts About Female Staff Members

"Oakland's city administrator resigned Friday after text messages between him and a top lieutenant were made public discussing female employees and colleagues in degrading ways. The text messages of Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson were recently taken into possession by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the agency's corruption investigation into former Mayor Sheng Thao, who hired Johnson in June 2023, as the Oaklandside reports. The messages were reportedly made available through the city's public records portal last week prior to Johnson's resignation Friday."

"On Friday evening, I learned about certain degrading and unprofessional communications involving Mr. Johnson, said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, who kept Johnson in the role when she became mayor last year. Under my watch, I will not tolerate transgressions of this nature. In Johnson's text exchanges with another top official, Harold Duffey, he said one female employee had a helluva walk and that another made him a little giddy, explaining he had a hard time looking her just in the eyes."

"One of the more egregious text exchanges was involving Johnson's former assistant city administrator, LaTonda Simmons, implying that she used her femininity to influence powerful men, and calling her emotional. Johnson fired Simmons last June. "Reducing women to sexualized functions and labeling women as emotional undermines and delegitimizes their value. Given his references to me and what his text shows, it comes as no surpri"

Oakland’s city administrator Jestin Johnson resigned after text messages between him and a top lieutenant became public, containing degrading and unprofessional references to female employees and colleagues. The Federal Bureau of Investigation took possession of the messages as part of a corruption investigation involving former Mayor Sheng Thao, who hired Johnson in June 2023. The messages were reportedly available through the city’s public records portal before Johnson’s resignation. Johnson’s contract provided a $340,000 annual salary and $750 monthly transportation allowance. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said she would not tolerate such conduct and kept Johnson in the role after becoming mayor. Assistant City Administrator Elizabeth “Betsy” Lake will serve as interim city administrator. The texts included sexualized and dismissive comments about women, including references to Johnson’s former assistant city administrator LaTonda Simmons, whom Johnson fired last June.

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