California High-Speed Rail CEO Ian Choudri Resigns

Ian Choudri resigned as chief executive of the California High-Speed Rail Authority during a board meeting, as the agency faced scrutiny over consultants’ travel expenses and the board had recently restricted his contracting authority. Board Chair Steve Kawa announced Thursday that Choudri’s departure was effective immediately. Choudri said in an emailed resignation that he needed to focus on personal and family priorities. He described leading the authority as one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of his professional life. The resignation followed an Inspector General investigation into travel billed by consultants working for the authority. The investigation found that some expenses, including premium flights and rideshares, were unauthorized or poorly justified. It also cited trips to entertainment and leisure venues. The authority routinely reimbursed some expenses without sufficient vetting, according to the watchdog’s findings. Reports describe nearly $600,000 in unallowable or questionable travel expenses. Another account puts about $700,000 of roughly $2 million in consultant payments in the improper category. Those figures use differing descriptions and...