WHISTLE-BLOWER WINS $450,000 SUPERVISORS OK SETTLEMENT, SCOLD LAWYERS.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $450,000 settlement for a child-abuse investigator from Valley Glen who blew the whistle A simple whistle is a woodwind instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. Many types exist, from small police and sports whistles (also called pea whistles), to much larger train whistles, which are steam whistles specifically designed for use on on problems in the county child welfare department. A lawsuit filed by Rebecca Lizarraga, 34, alleged that the Department of Children and Family Services covered up child abuse and demoted her because she investigated a foster mother with ties to the former department director, Peter Digre, who resigned in 1999. In her lawsuit, Lizarraga said she was threatened with serious damage to her career if she continued to investigate allegations that a foster mother connected to Digre cared for her children in a cockroach-infested home, exposed them to voodoo rituals and abused them. ``This is not about me,'' said Lizarraga, who took a leave of absence from her job three years ago to pursue a law degree to become a child advocate other uses of Child advocacy The Child Advocate is a child advocacy network and resource group in the United States. Their mission is to serve the needs of children, families and professionals while addressing mental health, medical, educational, legal, and legislative attorney. ``This is about the kids who were harmed. The reason why I went forward with this lawsuit is I want the social workers to believe they can stand up, say what is going on and be able to survive it.'' Supervisor Gloria Molina Gloria Molina is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.[1] Molina grew up as one of ten children in the Los Angeles suburb of Pico Rivera, California, U.S. said she was angered that the County Counsel's Office allowed 20 attorneys from an outside law firm to rack up $180,000 in legal bills on the case only to recommend a settlement in the end. ``It's the same guess you made before $180,000 in legal bills that a jury would most likely look at this as a case of retaliation RETALIATION. The act by which a nation or individual treats another in the same manner that the latter has treated them. For example, if a nation should lay a very heavy tariff on American goods, the United States would be justified in return in laying heavy duties on the manufactures and ,'' Molina said. ``It's unbelievable that lawyers can suck us dry like this. When you have a whistle-blower whis·tle·blow·er or whis·tle-blow·er or whistle blower n. One who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority: "The Pentagon's most famous whistleblower is . . , you are always going to have retaliation.'' Principal Deputy County Counsel Roger Granbo said Lizarraga's attorney was demanding $1.5 million up until a few months ago, and that officials in his office felt a strong defense was needed in case the lawsuit went to trial. In the future, County Counsel Lloyd Pellman said, he will prepare reports to the supervisors, when a certain threshold of legal expenses is reached, on the type of case, the plaintiff's demands and the status of negotiations. ``You need to figure out how to better manage your cases and hold your contract lawyers accountable,'' Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky (born December 21, 1948) is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman. said. ``You spend millions on some of these (Department of Children and Family Services) cases, especially ones that involve private attorneys. Sometimes these people make a real good living on our nickel nickel, metallic chemical element; symbol Ni; at. no. 28; at. wt. 58.69; m.p. about 1,453°C;; b.p. about 2,732°C;; sp. gr. 8.902 at 25°C;; valence 0, +1, +2, +3, or +4. , and it's not in their interest to cut their losses.'' Lizarraga began working for the department in 1996 as a social worker. In November 1997, she was named acting section head of the unit that oversees investigations of child abuse in foster care. In October 1998, during an investigation of a foster home, Lizarraga discovered information that seemed to implicate im·pli·cate tr.v. im·pli·cat·ed, im·pli·cat·ing, im·pli·cates 1. To involve or connect intimately or incriminatingly: evidence that implicates others in the plot. 2. Digre in misconduct MISCONDUCT. Unlawful behaviour by a person entrusted in any degree: with the administration of justice, by which the rights of the parties and the justice of the, case may have been affected. 2. , Granbo wrote in settlement documents. Foster children claimed that the foster mother had physically abused them and that the mother and Digre were having a relationship, Granbo wrote. Lizarraga reported her findings to her superiors, but a subsequent investigation by the Sheriff's Department failed to uncover any misconduct by Digre, Granbo wrote. |
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