Villanueva wants preview of exhibits before testifying
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is declining to testify before the Civilian Oversight Commission, today, unless the commission meets certain conditions, namely the presence of a neutral hearing officer, the ability to cross-examine witnesses and deliver an opening statement, and a preview of all exhibits.
In a letter sent to the commission’s executive director Brian Williams, on Sunday, Villanueva said he was prepared to testify before the commission, today, but “was deeply disappointed to learn the Commission is unwilling to allow very basic and reasonable elements of a legitimate oversight meeting designed to understand the truth. It makes neutral observers question whether the Commission’s real agenda is to learn the facts, or to put on a show.”
The sheriff, who has repeatedly accused the county Board of Supervisors and Inspector General Max Huntsman of pursuing personal political biases in clashes over the alleged deputy gangs and other issues, expressed concern about “demonstrably false statements having already been accepted by the Commission” in his letter to Williams.
“A legitimate oversight process should be based on full information, not the element of surprise or a reliance on ‘gotcha’ questions,” he wrote. “I would also call attention to the fact on several occasions, the documents presented by the Commission were clearly altered or manufactured, most notable, the so-called `Brady list’ information referenced at the July 1, 2022, special meeting … when an anti-law enforcement website was falsely represented as an official State of California website.
Villanueva said he “strongly” believes that every public servant must be open to public scrutiny and legitimate oversight.
“This is why I sent Department executives, on several occasions, to answer questions for the Civilian Oversight Commission (COC) about deputy cliques and subgroups. Additionally, on March 26, 2019, and December 17, 2020, I personally appeared and answered questions for the COC about deputy cliques and subgroups. Subsequently, I testified under oath before the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on April 22, 2022, and I offered to testify again in May on the issue of deputy subgroups,” he wrote.
On Thursday, attorneys for the county filed papers asking a court to consider holding Villanueva and Undersheriff Timothy Murakami in contempt for allegedly ignoring subpoenas to appear before the commission and testify about alleged deputy cliques.