LA Fire Recovery Czar Excluded, Raises Concerns | JQJO

Steve Soboroff, Los Angeles' fire recovery czar, resigned last week, claiming he was excluded from high-level planning. Hired for a three-month, $500,000 position (later worked pro bono), his role was significantly diminished after initial fanfare. Soboroff alleges a lack of communication and transparency from Mayor Karen Bass's office, particularly regarding a key recovery contractor, Hagerty Consulting, whose performance he criticizes. Despite his exclusion, he claims to have made significant progress coordinating efforts and securing resources. Mayor Bass states the recovery is on track, while Soboroff expresses concerns about unaddressed issues.

A powerful coalition of federal legislators, executive branch officials, and multinational technology corporations has coalesced around a strategy of "federal preemption," seeking to strip state governments of their authority over generative AI. The coalition argues that the legal frameworks governing these technologies are in a state of flux as generative AI affects every sector of the economy, from healthcare diagnostics to creative industries. The push aims to centralize regulation at the federal level, limiting state‑level oversight of AI development and deployment.