A few weeks ago, when Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson resigned over a texting scandal, Mayor Barbara Lee asked Betsy Lake, Johnson’s second in command, to take over the job on an acting basis.
To formally serve as an interim leader, Lake needs approval from the City Council. In the past, the council has approved interim appointments with little discussion or controversy.
But on Thursday, two councilmembers took the unusual step of holding up Lake’s appointment, saying that they want to do more due diligence. This marks another clash between the council and Lee; they recently disagreed over a proposal to transform Oakland into a “strong mayor” city…