LA County DA investigating Sheriff Villanueva for soliciting donations from his deputies
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has launched an investigation into Sheriff Alex Villanueva for soliciting donations from his deputies.
"This video has come to our attention," said Tiffiny Blacknell, a spokesperson for the District Attorney's office. "We take these matters seriously and it is currently under review. A formal investigation by our [PID] unit has been initiated. We cannot comment further at this time."
The PID, the Public Integrity Division was created to oversee complaints alleging criminal misconduct against elected and appointed officials while they hold public positions.
The video in question shows Villanueva dressed in civilian clothing asking deputies to contribute anything from "$20 to $1,500" to his campaign.
"This message is for deputies," Villanueva said in the video. "It's up to each and every one of you who you want to be Sheriff... If you want to help, anything will help us get our message out there."
Villanueva prefaced his plea to deputies by saying that while he received an endorsement from the deputies' union, the Association for the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, they had not given him a "significant" expenditure account to run his campaign. He claimed that during his previous campaign in 2018, ALADS had created an "independent expenditure committee" to help fund his campaign.
"They've left the membership high and dry," said Villanueva.