HartHouse Monrovia opens its doors Pg 14
Hearing set on contempt investigation against Villanueva Pg 15
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Thursday, November 10 -November 16, 2022
T
he numbers below reflect the polling on Nov. 9. Since the time of this reporting, these numbers will shift, but the results, based on the number of votes, are projected to remain.
Los Angeles Measure A - Board of Supervisor's power to remove elected sheriff Yes - 255,056 68.50% No - 117,269 31.50% A ballot measure that would give the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors the authority to remove a publicly elected sheriff from office for cause was being strongly supported by voters Tuesday evening.
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to the performance of their duties as sheriff; flagrant or repeated neglect of duties; a misappropriation of public funds or property; willful falsification of a relevant official statement or document; or obstruction of any investigation into the conduct of the sheriff by the Inspector General, Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, or any government agency with jurisdiction to conduct such an investigation.” Although board members supporting the measure denied it was political in nature, the move was a clear response to its battles with Villanueva, who has accused board members of defunding
LA, Riverside county measure votes are in By City News Service
Early returns showed Measure A with the support of more than 71% of voters. The Board of Supervisors voted in August to place Measure A on the ballot, calling it an effort to ensure accountability in the county’s law- enforcement agency. But incumbent Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blasted the proposal as unconstitutional, calling it a blatant power grab by a board with which he has repeatedly clashed. If Measure A is approved, the board will have the power to remove a sheriff “for cause” with a four-fifths vote of the five-member panel. “Cause” is defined as “a violation of any law related
his agency at the expense of public safety and has rebuffed subpoenas to appear before the county’s Civilian Oversight Commission. Board Chair Holly Mitchell and Supervisor Hilda Solis introduced the motion calling for the ballot measure. Mitchell said during a July 12 meeting that the issue goes beyond Villanueva. “The issue of sheriff accountability before us is both urgent and systemic, having impacted past generations of Angelenos, but also with important consequences for the future,” Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, the county has had long and troubling history with sheriff oversight and
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transparency.” The motion by Mitchell and Solis referred to previous sheriffs Lee Baca, who was sentenced to federal prison on corruption charges, and Peter Pitchess, who “resisted any involvement in the first internal investigation of deputy gangs from outside the department.” Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the board’s lone opponent of the measure, issued a statement saying, “Giving the
Board of Supervisors authority to remove an elected sheriff unequivocally takes away power from the public.” “It’s a move that has the potential to disenfranchise voters,” she said. “It also overlooks the fact that a recall process already exists to remove elected officials who fail to perform their duties.” Villanueva sent a letter to the board saying the measure “would allow corrupt board members to intimidate
sheriffs from carrying out their official duties to investigate crime.” “This motion is a recipe for public corruption, particularly when `cause’ remains so broad and undefined,” the sheriff wrote. “Allowing political appointees with an agenda to determine ’cause’ is fundamentally flawed. … “It appears you are making yourselves the judge, jury and executioner for the office of the sheriff, nullifying the
will of the voters. This illegal motion seeks to undermine the role of the sheriff and render the office subordinate to the Board of Supervisors. On its face, your proposed ordinance language is not a proper reading of the law and will be challenged on these multiple grounds.” He called the move an effort to derail his reelec-
See LA, Riverside votes Page 10