By Stephen Hobbs<\/p>\n
Graham Knaus, the CEO of the California State Association of Counties, has been put on administrative leave.<\/p>\n
The association\u2019s president, Susan Ellenberg, said in a statement that it had \u201cengaged outside legal counsel to conduct an independent investigation into confidential personnel-related matters.\u201d She declined to provide more details on the conduct it was looking into.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut of respect for confidentiality and the rights of all parties involved, we will not share additional information at this time,\u201d added Ellenberg, who is a Santa Clara County supervisor.<\/p>\n
It is unclear when he was put on leave. A spokesperson for the association declined to comment beyond Ellenberg\u2019s statement. Knaus declined to comment.<\/p>\n
The organization represents all 58 counties at the state Capitol on issues involving courts, healthcare and California\u2019s budget. It also advocates on federal legislation and has more than a dozen lobbyists and legislative analysts devoted to those efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a strong lobbying force,\u201d Knaus said in a 2018 video after becoming the organization\u2019s executive director. \u201cOur success comes from our policy expertise, leveraging networks and relationships, from dexterity in navigating the political process and from being directly connected with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a lead supporter of several bills this year, including one that extended a domestic violence intervention program, another that affirmed local governments can charge taxes and fees for street repair and public services, and a third that allows counties and cities to round up cash payments due to the elimination of the penny.<\/p>\n
Knaus was outspoken about policies the association did not like.<\/p>\n
During this year\u2019s legislative session, he called an effort over the summer by Gov. Gavin Newsom to change what utility companies are liable for when their equipment starts wildfires a \u201ccorporate bailout.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the governor\u2019s May budget plan was abandoning families just as President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress had.<\/p>\n
And after Newsom\u2019s State of the State address in January, Knaus said the governor was playing a \u201cshell game\u201d with homelessness funding by not providing more money through a popular grant program.<\/p>\n
Ellenberg said the group\u2019s work would continue while the investigation is ongoing and that the board members were overseeing its day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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