Im speaking hypothetically, obviously, not really. LA Sheriff Villanueva concedes race for reelection. Villanueva ran for re-election for Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. Villanueva won the general election on November 4, 2018, with 53% to 47% for McDonnell. LA sheriff Alex Villanueva concedes re-election bid. So far, four people have filed paperwork to run against Villanueva, and others have signaled plans to do so. The sheriffs determined effort to push through a fivefold increase in the number of concealed weapon permits issued in the county has confounded onetime supporters. In recent public comments, Villanueva cited a USC survey that found 10% of Angelenos plan to leave L.A. County in the next year. Villanueva, who had fought hard for the partys support during the election, didnt show up to the virtual meeting to defend himself. But he has very much proven to be someone who will immediately retaliate against someone who dares to have a different opinion.. I believe that a lot of the misconduct that occurs is untreated PTSD, Luna said. Coming in second Tuesday was former Long Beach police Chief Robert Luna with 25%, placing the two far ahead in the nine-candidate field. Supporters grew increasingly disillusioned as Villanueva resisted calls for greater transparency in the department and pursued controversial hires, including his reinstatement of a campaign volunteer who was fired as a deputy over allegations of domestic abuse and stalking. "We spoke truth to power.". He would also implement policies to protect deputies who come forward to report misconduct, Strong said. [4], Villanueva was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1963 to a Puerto Rican father and Polish-American mother. LA Sheriff Villanueva Faces His First Challenger For The 2022 Election By Frank Stoltze Published Apr 29, 2021 4:40 PM Eliezer Vera, a chief with the L.A. Sheriff's Department, has announced. Villanueva, who had a reputation for defying police If I get elected, were not going to be sitting here a year or two from now talking about corruption scandals or that Im not getting along with the Board of Supervisors, or Im being accused of obstruction of justice, Luna said. Being a reformer or a progressive in 2018 vintage is not the same as 2020, Villanueva said during a recent interview on a podcast hosted by an announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship league. He dismissed those protesting Kizzees shooting as out-of-town instigators and hosted a counter-event with conservative figures to bash them. The first section asked whether he will run for re-election,. And thats exactly what I will do.. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva will have to fend off a packed field of current and former law-enforcement officials including a couple of his own subordinates, the LAX police chief and the former top cop of the countys second-largest city while also overcoming a series of controversies within his department if he is to win reelection this year. The L.A. County Democratic Party passed a resolution Tuesday calling on Sheriff Alex Villanueva to restore trust in his department. When he announced his candidacy for sheriff in December, Black Lives Matter protested. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The incumbent also criticized Luna, who recently retired as Chief . ", LA COUNTY SHERIFF VILLANUEVA REFUSES TO ENFORCE VACCINE MANDATE AT HIS AGENCY: SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED. Early life . He was never who we thought he was, is what I think now.. The field of opponents include some big names in county law enforcement, including Cecil Rhambo, chief of police for Los Angeles International Airport; Robert Luna, who served as Long Beachs first Latino police chief from 2014 until his retirement in December; and Eliezer Eli Vera, who has accused Villanueva of demoting him after he decided to run against his boss, an allegation the sheriff has denied. Villanueva, who has described himself as one of the last remaining Democrats of the JFK and FDR vein, was elected in 2018, but since 2020 has consistently clashed with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, most notably as he refused to enforce the countys vaccine mandate that he argued would lead to the firing of 4,000 of his deputies amid a crime wave ushered in by the defund police movement. And several sheriff's employees, including some at top ranks, have filed lawsuits against him and the department. Thank goodness! Villanueva, in an interview, said his main priorities, if he is reelected, will include hiring more sworn and non-sworn employees and to address homelessness. Market data provided by Factset. Alene Tchekmedyian is an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The years of fighting with Villanueva were so contentious that the supervisors took the extraordinary step of putting the measure on Tuesday's ballot that asked voters for the power to remove a sitting sheriff from office if at least four out of the five supervisors agree he or she is unfit for office. He defeated incumbent sheriff Jim McDonnell in the 2018 L.A. County Sheriff's race, making him the first to unseat an incumbent in over 100 years. But in recent years, he has appeared to move in a more conservative direction, publicly decrying what he has. For the soccer player, see, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (1986), Sheriff of Los Angeles County (20182022), Removing immigration agents from Los Angeles County jails, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Salary information for Alejandro Villanueva", "Alex Villanueva declares victory in LA County sheriff race", "Alex Villanueva inches closer to an upset in race for L.A. County sheriff", "Robert Luna to become L.A. County sheriff as Alex Villanueva concedes", "Alex Villanueva, the county's new top cop, has been quietly fighting for a political win for decades", "Why L.A. County has a politician with a gun and a badge: From Sheriff Villanueva back to 1850", "County Correction Facilities & Jails in Los Angeles County, California", "Alex Villanueva Is The New Sheriff Of LA County. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The amendment gives the County Board of Supervisors the authority to remove an elected sheriff from office for cause, including a violation of the law, neglect of duties, misappropriation of funds, willful falsification of documents, or obstructing an investigation, by a four-fifths vote of the Board of Supervisors. Vera, who rose through the ranks of the Sheriffs Department, working in multiple division and bureaus, was promoted to the rank of chief in December 2018. We need to have our finger on the pulse of whats going on in the communities, she said. After a tumultuous first term marked by his combativeness and controversies, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva's bid for reelection was at risk Wednesday morning as early results showed his opponent, Robert Luna, taking a sizable lead. After he pulled off an upset victory most had thought was impossible, Villanueva took some steps to make good on his promises. The actual big lie, Villanueva said, stemmed from the murder of Floyd. On Tuesday, Sheriff Alex Villaneuva conceded defeat in his reelection bid. "In law enforcement, people are supposed to look at us at the people who not only enforce the law, but we listen and cooperate with for example, oversight, subpoenas," Luna told KABC ahead of the primary. "Were walking out of here with our heads high. Villanueva was at the center of multiple scandals during his term. Sheriffs election forum features candidate but no sheriff, still allowed some inmates to be handed over. After his time at East Los Angeles Sheriff Station, Villanueva transferred to the Training Bureau where he served as a Drill Instructor at the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Academy. "Im deeply honored and humbled that you have elected me as your next Sheriff. [41], Department officials conducted a threat assessment in August 2020 to identify risks to the sheriffs safety. ((Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)), "Every single thing I campaigned on, I accomplished," Villanueva told KABC-TV ahead of Tuesdays primary. If elected, Vera said, he would stay away from the types of political clashes that have marred the current administration. For a sheriff who swept into office by convincing liberal, progressive voters he was their candidate, Alex Villanueva is making strange moves these days. After years of stability at the top of the department L.A. County had two sheriffs from 1982 to 2014 voters saw former Sheriff Lee Baca forgo a run at a fifth term as his department faced allegations of mistreating inmates and corruption charges. [7] Villanueva's dissertation was on the subject of leadership diversity in law enforcement. Each adversity he faced throughout his career, Villanueva said, propelled him to a bigger stage, audience, and voice. Britta Steinbrenner received 5%; Retired LASD Capt. Were recognizing that the threat to the residents is increasing. LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva Raises over $1.2 Million for Reelection Campaign - $1M on hand Jan 7, 2022 Campaign to Re-Elect L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva Announces First Endorsements and Diverse Veteran Campaign Staff Mar 18, 2022 Campaign Kick-Off March 26 to Re-Elect L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva Mar 25, 2022 Villanueva was a little-known lieutenant when he was elected in 2018, becoming the first candidate to unseat an incumbent LA sheriff in more than a century. It is about the people we serve, and we have to come up with solutions. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews). If you look at it, its dilapidated, she said. Instead of just helping landlords get tenants out, Rhambo said, he would work to prevent the evictions in the first place. He often clashed with members of the LA County Board of Supervisors and downplayed allegations that he allowed gang-like groups of deputies to run freely. The campaign blasted out emails targeting Luna's record in Long Beach, calling him out for the department's use of a texting application that automatically deleted messages and criticizing him for failing to promote Black women in the department. ((Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)). In the year since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the left-leaning elected officials who dominate politics in Los Angeles and other large U.S. cities have been scrambling to assuage demands for meaningful changes to policing. Strong said he would change use-of-force policies as well, to ensure police are using force when they must, not simply because they can, and would expand mental health training to those who are first to arrive on the scene. [43] They have one child. Things were more subdued at Villanueva's gathering in Montebello. Vera, once chief of the Sheriffs Departments Technology and Support Division, grabbed headlines last fall when he said Villanueva wrongly demoted him to commander after announcing his own run for sheriff. Ultimately, 22 deputies were suspended for misconduct and four were terminated. Then Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna speaks to members of the media as he provided an update on efforts to reduce gun violence on Friday, July 2, 2021. Hans Johnson, president of the East Area Progressive Democrats, said Villanuevas permit push smacks of political calculus., He sees that many of us who originally hoped for his public service as sheriff have now turned our efforts to removing him from office, and so its clear hes casting about for a new base of support.. Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Beyond those issues, the candidates, including the incumbent, also discussed the homeless crisis, rising crime, jail reform, staffing and addressing mental health challenges among deputies. Under Luna, LBPD also revised its use-of-force policy in 2020 to mandate reverence for life, medical assistance and a duty to intervene. It all has left the countys Democratic Party machine, which helped put Villanueva in office, awash in feelings of betrayal and buyers remorse that culminated last month with a demand that the sheriff resign. We have to sit down with our elected officials, he said. So, get back to reporting everything, both sides, passionately, and then well be better off because of it.. His second term expires at the end of 2023. [5] When Villanueva was nine years old, his family moved to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, where he learned Spanish and walked to school while reading books along the rural back roads beside sugar cane fields. Sheriff, youre the only thing keeping that city, that state, from spiraling into utter chaos, one of the Fox hosts, Brian Kilmeade, told him. Thank you for your support. But perhaps the biggest obstacle to Villanuevas reelection is a series of controversies within the Sheriffs Department, including allegations that deputy gangs exist within the countys law-enforcement agency. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Saucedo Hood, on her website, listed her priorities as improving accountability, trust and transparency, and collaborating with the Board of Supervisors. Villanueva showed up in plainclothes and took the microphone to rail against Gascns decision not to seek sentencing enhancements that lengthen a criminal defendants time behind bars. Luna, born in East Los Angeles, spent 37 years with the Long Beach Police Department and, as chief, worked to diversify the agency, though women are still far underrepresented. In a speech to supporters around 11 p.m., Luna struck a triumphant tone, despite the incomplete results. Zechman has been employed with the county sheriff's office since 2010 as deputy sheriff before his election to a four-year term as sheriff in 2016. In the run-up to the election, Villanueva's campaign spent much of its energy trying to attack Luna's image. Villanueva disputed allegations that he orchestrated the coverup of an incident where a deputy knelt on a handcuffed inmate's head last year. Villanueva struggled to build momentum throughout the campaign. Villanueva suspended the department's participation in this program immediately after taking office, describing the cash payments as "blood money". Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who fought back against pandemic mandates and controversies during his first term, was in danger of losing his bid for reelection as early results favored his . KQED News Staff. History says theyll face an uphill challenge regardless of the sheriffs political meanderings. Strong has a long list of priorities, including a pledge to push alternatives to incarceration by diverting people with drug addiction to alternate programs as part of the countys Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative, he said. As the early results were flashed onto a screen in a corner of an airy venue where Luna was holding an election night party, supporters sent up excited whistles. Villanueva lost his bid for reelection in 2022 against former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. All rights reserved. Villanueva was sworn into office as sheriff on December 3, 2018. [34], From 2005 to 2018, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Board of Supervisors accepted $122,189,627 from the United States Government in exchange for a database of inmates without proof of valid immigration status. [39][7][40], During the COVID-19 pandemic, Villanueva refused to enforce vaccine requirements for LASD staff. The Sheriffs Department said in a statement that the party had been hijacked by a radical far left agenda.. deputies shot and killed a Black man, Dijon Kizzee, in South L.A. Deputies killed Dijon Kizzee after a bike stop. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva talks with media, homeless advocates and local residents in Venice on June 7. We found 15 similar law enforcement shootings, many fatal, Democratic Party rebukes L.A. County sheriff; some feel misled, almost conned, time on another of Foxs reliably conservative shows, dislodge a sitting L.A. County sheriff in more than a century, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, Want to solve climate change? It wasnt until the pandemic that he banned inmate transfers to ICE altogether, unless federal agents have a warrant. "This is not about us as individuals. This California farm kingdom holds a key, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater, Gina Lollobrigida, film star who conquered Italy, Hollywood and the world, dies at 95, Storm sets new L.A. rain records. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. Within several weeks, the department learned that a deputy at the scene had shared a photo of the accident scene with an unauthorized person at a local bar. He went to the well of Republican Party talking points for his barbs, saying that people on the boardwalk were there to enjoy the free services and that the Democratic elected officials dont want to offend anybody.. He promised to ban federal immigration agents from working inside L.A. County jails and said he supported efforts to expand social services to immigrants in the country illegally potent selling points to Democratic voters who had become frustrated with former President Trumps hard-line immigration policies. He would do that, he said, by partnering with the Board of Supervisors, collaborating with oversight, creating clear channels of communication with all whom we serve, and setting aside differences for the fulfillment of one common purpose serving the residents of Los Angeles County.. The honeymoon period, however, was short-lived. Robert Luna to become L.A. County sheriff as Alex Villanueva concedes Nov. 15, 2022 On Tuesday, Villanueva conceded that he had lost his reelection campaign to challenger Robert Luna. But Villanueva certainly has the war chest of a front-running incumbent. All rights reserved. "This has had sort of a character of almost a recall election, where you don't really know the replacement candidates all that well but you decide whether to keep the incumbent in office," said Raphe Sonenshein, head of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State L.A. "If he loses, then I think that's a pretty stunning rebuke of his period as sheriff. Villanueva received 33% of the vote, to McDonnell's 47%, and Lindsey's 19%. Saying those before him kept the bar to receive them too high, Villanueva says more people carrying concealed handguns will be an effective countermeasure to rising crime and efforts on the left to reduce police funding. Elections Villanueva Is Booted After Los Angeles Voters Sour on 'Sheriff Trump' ONE TOO MANY SCANDALS The incumbent sheriff conceded the race on Tuesday afternoon to Robert Luna, a retired. Villanueva lost his bid for reelection in 2022 against former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says deputies making arrests, but cases fall apart when they reach DA Gascon. [23] In response, Villanueva held a press conference and presented a graphic with arrows linking an LA Times reporter, a political rival, and the sheriff department's inspector general, stating that all were subject to a probe, later clarifying on Twitter that the reporter was not being criminally charged. The safety of the community depends on him succeeding., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Biden calls for retraining cops: Why should you always shoot with deadly force?, Murderous catfishing cop had history of messaging underage girls, 2022 was deadly for cops yet many of their murders were entirely preventable, NYPD cop suspended after pummeling 14-year-old girl during fight. We accomplished the missionwe could have probably used four more years to solidify it, but we set a standard, a very high standard.". Villanueva created a new policy to ban such behavior and supported Senate Bill 2655[38] to ban and criminalize the unauthorized taking or distribution of photos at accident scenes by first responders. UPDATED, 3 PM: Embattled Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has conceded defeat in his re-election bid against former Long . Wed 8 Jun 2022 02.56 EDT Last modified on Wed 8 Jun 2022 02.57 EDT Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles county sheriff embroiled in multiple scandals, appears headed for a runoff election in. I know theres some woke person saying, Oh, my God, the sheriff is threatening violence. They are that dumb.. Tearing it down would mean re-assigning deputies and staff now working there. The fact that were talking about gangs and police or deputies in the same sentence is crazy, he said. He said the controversies were false narratives crafted as political attacks. Its not all about arresting your way out of the crime, he said. So were responding accordingly.. But he refused to concede the idea that had got him elected: Hours before the vote, his reelection campaign sent out an email touting him as a progressive Democrat who had swept out of office a predecessor who was deporting immigrants and racially profiling drivers., And in a live social media broadcast the next day, Villanueva dismissed the county Democrats as very wealthy west side of town folks who dont represent the party or county residents. "I think that people are tired of the ridiculousness of Villanueva.". "So, them trying to paint me somehow as a born-again conservative, the facts don't bear out. And to that end, he signed a petition to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascn, and said he supports turning over undocumented immigrants convicted of violent felonies to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation. [22], In 2022, a LASD commander filed legal papers accusing Villanueva of obstructing an investigation into a 2021 incident where a police deputy kneeled on a handcuffed inmates head, as well as retaliating against whistleblowers. We have now issued more CCWs than the last three sheriffs combined, he crowed in April, when the number of permits he had issued or was close to issuing stood at 920. Former Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert Luna won the election for Los Angeles county sheriff against incumbent Alex Villanueva. Villanuevas camp would have you believe it knows what its doing. The department has been under heavy scrutiny over a steady stream of scandals, many of which erupted during Villanuevas watch and others that predate him. "[17], Villanueva inherited a department that was understaffed by at least 1,300 personnel. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Homelessness was at the top of Sabine Pleissner's mind as well. The pandemic nixed last years count and results from the January survey have not yet been released. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) Among likely voters,. "Quite the opposite," he said. The rest had no opinion or hadnt heard of him. "Whether Villanueva is vulnerable depends in huge measure on who runs against him," said Jim Newton, a former Times journalist who is now a lecturer at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs. Villanueva has denied wrongdoing in each case. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Following Election Day , Luna come out as the front-runner in the race. Luna, meanwhile, had to work to overcome his obscurity in the county, where the polls showed relatively few knew who he was. Villanueva did not respond to an interview request for this story. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva accepted defeat in his pursuit for a second four-year term in the top law enforcement spot to Robert Luna on Tuesday. LA COUNTY SHERIFF VILLANUEVA SLAMS WOKEISM,' SAYS IT MUST GO TO MAKE CITY LIVEABLE AGAIN, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva speaks during a news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles to announce the results of a recent marijuana eradication operation in the Antelope Valley. Many onetime allies, aides and supporters have fallen out with him, with some accusing him of abusing his power . Thank you, L.A. County. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace. While he was on patrol in the community of East Los Angeles, California, Villanueva volunteered to lead one of the first community policing teams in the nation made possible by the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) grant program launched by President Bill Clinton. [27] One of the most prominent such groups is the "Banditos" at East Los Angeles Sheriff Station. During a short speech, he reminded the downbeat crowd how on election night four years ago he had initially trailed but surged into the lead when the vote tally was updated the next morning. Now, Villanueva's running for re-election, and his campaign messaging has undergone a remarkable shift from what voters heard in 2018. The Associated Press reported that Villanueva won 34% of the vote shy of the 50% margin required for the incumbent sheriff to avoid a runoff election. Texas sheriff leaves Dems Villanueva handily won re-election in Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) He's behind in the polls, and his disapproval numbers are high.. The LA County Registrar-Recorder website posted live results from the election, and as of Tuesday, Luna had received 60 percent of the vote and Villanueva had 40 percent. But Villanueva certainly has the war chest of a front-running incumbent. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, where he worked Lennox and Carson Sheriff Stations, the Community College Bureau, as well as the Advanced Officer Training unit. Villanueva moved on to the Pico Rivera Sheriff Station, where he served as Watch Commander. Thats just not going to happen.. Vivian Villanueva, left, in Californias primary election at The Park in La Habra Heights Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The killing came as Los Angeles and the rest of the country were roiled by massive protests over the murder of Floyd and other police killings, and instead of trying to ease tensions, the sheriff took a combative approach. Joe Collins, a Republican backed by Trump who tried to unseat U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), was there, and Elsa Aldeguer, an activist whose social media accounts are filled with photos from pro-Trump rallies, gave a speech decrying the Black Lives Matter group. Strong also said he opposes building a new Mens Central Jail. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva details his accomplishments during a press conference at the Hall of Justice where he conceded the election to Robert Luna on Nov. 15, 2022.