California fire victims lobbyist is out amid sex scandal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A lobbyist hired to secure a $1.5-billion state loan to help tens of thousands of victims of devastating California wildfires is leaving his job amid a sexual harassment scandal. The PG&E Fire Victim Trust reported Wednesday that Patrick McCallum and the trust “have agreed to part ways.” The trust’s mission is to compensate some 70,000 victims of wildfires — blamed on neglected PG&E equipment — that destroyed thousands of buildings and killed dozens of people. McCallum’s wife is president of Sonoma State University, which made headlines this month over lawsuit claims that McCallum sexually harassed employees there. He’s denied the allegations.