They gave us Villanueva

Re “Villanueva’s gaslighting assault on the press,” editorial, April 28

Kudos on your editorial board’s factual assessment of the out-of-control sheriff handed to us with high recommendations from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

I suggest a small but important clarifying rewrite of the sentence, “Voters chose this sheriff in 2018 in part because they were seduced into backing a supposedly liberal Democrat over the Republican incumbent.”

A more accurate description would be, “Voters chose this sheriff in 2018 because the L.A. Democratic Party failed to properly vet his background, which would have revealed that his past behavior was a valid predictor of his present behavior.”

STEPHEN DOWNING Long Beach

It’s high time for voters to send L.A County Sheriff Alex Villanueva packing.

With his latest gaslighting episode, where he threatened a Times reporter with criminal investigation and then turned around hours later and stated he never said that — when we have the recordings and proof — he has shown us again who he is.

Villanueva is a petty tyrant with dreams of his own personal fiefdom where he is the arbiter of what laws to follow and enforce, and what laws to disregard and ignore.

The corruption inside the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department is well-known and documented. Gangs of deputies with their own tattoos marking them as members and acting lawlessly should not be tolerated.

SCOTT HUGHES Westlake Village

Sheriff Villanueva, please save us the trouble of voting you out of office by withdrawing from your race for reelection. Or give the public what it really deserves: your immediate resignation.

EDWARD A. RUTTENBERG Rancho Palos Verdes