Standing Up for Our Members: Calling for a Full Audit of the $4B Settlement

by Eddie Chism, President

Dear Sisters & Brothers,

Today, I took an important and necessary step on behalf of every member of AFSCME Local 685. I have formally transmitted a letter to state leaders demanding an independent, forensic audit of L.A. County’s $4 billion settlement of sexual-abuse claims. Click here to read the full letter here.

This action comes at a critical moment. Just this week, District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced a criminal investigation into potentially false claims tied to this massive settlement. His announcement underscores exactly what we’ve been saying:

This process was rushed, politically driven, and conducted without the transparency or oversight that the public – and our members – deserve.

Let me be clear about why I sent this letter – and why your Executive Board will not back down.

Our union has always stood for justice and accountability. We support the full prosecution of anyone who has harmed youth. But we also stand firmly against a process that sweeps innocent employees into a massive settlement without due process, without transparency, and without any opportunity to defend their names.

The Board of Supervisors and their CEO committed $4 billion in taxpayer funds – without depositions, without evidentiary hearings, and without even notifying many of the employees whose reputations have now been called into question. That is unacceptable. It is a breach of fiduciary duty to taxpayers, and it is a fundamental violation of fairness to County employees who have devoted their lives to serving vulnerable young people in Los Angeles.

With the DA now investigating, the need for an independent state audit is even more urgent. This is not just a financial issue – it is about truth, integrity, and restoring trust in our public institutions.

I also want to recognize the Local 685 team who has secured relationships with those to whom I sent this letter.  Second Vice President Jonathan Byrd continues to lead our union’s political program with strength and determination, driving our strategy alongside our consulting team of Willie Pelote, Matt Siverling, and Barbara Maynard. Together, we are shining sunlight on a process that has operated in the shadows for far too long.

Sisters and brothers, this is a pivotal moment. We will not allow Local 685 members to be used as political scapegoats. We will not allow billions in public money to move without scrutiny. And we will not allow our reputations – our careers – to be tarnished without evidence, without hearings, and without justice.

Our message to Sacramento is simple:

The truth matters, due process matters, and Local 685 will never stop fighting for our members.

In solidarity,

Eddie Chism

President, AFSCME Local 685