OAKLAND — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff, Ann O’Leary, is leaving her post and has landed on the short list for jobs in the Biden administration, sources close to the governor told POLITICO.

O’Leary had previously spent most of her government career in Washington, and President-elect Joe Biden’s win gives her an opportunity to return to there with Democrats in power. But her departure also comes as Newsom faces his lowest point in office thus far.

The governor suffered public rebuke after attending a lobbyist’s dinner party at The French Laundry last month with multiple households, hampering his ability to discourage residents from gathering as infections were surging. At the same time, his administration has faced growing criticism for unemployment benefits fraud — including payments to inmates — and little progress on reopening schools.

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