Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. (Photo: LA County Sheriff's Department)
Pressure Mounts on LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to Resign As More Groups Join Resignation Effort
Although support remains strong for Villanueva, LA County Democratic Party latest to call for resignation
By Evan Symon, June 9, 2021 2:58 pm
The Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP) became the latest group calling for the resignation of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday, formally adopting a resolution that specifically notes the shooting of Andres Guardado as the main reason for the demand.
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On June 18, 2020, less than a month following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, 18-year-old Gardena security guard Andres Guardado was shot by an LA County Sheriffs Deputy following a foot chase. The Sheriffs maintain that Guardado had a handgun on him forcing their hand, while others, including his employer, said that he had surrendered, had only run away because he was scared, and that the sheriffs had destroyed several videos of the incident.
While many details still remain up in the air to this day, and the question of whether the shooting by law enforcement was justified remaining unanswered, many groups have nonetheless called for Villanueva’s resignation because of the incident.
In the summer of 2020, groups such as Black Lives Matters and the ACLU called for Villanueva’s resignation, followed up by an LA County Civilian Oversight Commission vote in October that unanimously approved a resolution calling for Sheriff Villanueva to resign. The LA County Board of Supervisors also became involved around the same time, looking into ways they could remove Villanueva from office other than waiting for the 2022 LA County Sheriff election.
On Tuesday, the LACDP added to the pressure for Villanueva to resign, adopting a resolution siding with the family of Andres Guardado and asking him to leave office. This was passed despite the fact that the LACDP had previously endorsed Villanueva in the 2018 County Sheriff election.
@LADemocrats stand in solidarity with the Guardado family, recognizing the systematic brutality of law enforcement that has continued to shake our county. Leadership…starts at the top, and while strides have been made to reform police culture in LA, it’s simply not enough. pic.twitter.com/VId3pRGl25
— Mark J Gonzalez (@MarkJGonzalezLA) June 9, 2021
“Tonight, marking the one year anniversary of the murder of Andres Guardado, Los Angeles Democrats stand in solidarity with the Guardado family, recognizing the systematic brutality of law enforcement that has continued to shake our county,” said LACDP Chairman Mark Gonzalez in a statement on Tuesday following the vote. “Leadership and accountability starts at the top, and while strides have been made to reform police culture in Los Angeles, it’s simply not enough.
“Sheriff Villanueva has had multiple opportunities since his election to reign in long standing problems within his department, which is why tonight, Los Angeles Democrats are holding him accountable and calling for his resignation. A failure to lead in Los Angeles, is a failure to serve Los Angeles. We will continue to hold those accountable who fail to live up to their obligations.”
Many LACDP members noted that only 6 months ago another resolution calling for Villanueva’s resignation failed, as compared to Tuesday’s vote that had 91% of the LACDP in favor of his resignation.
“We only needed a few more votes then. I don’t think anything has made it more likely that people would flip to the no side than it was in November,” explained LACDP member and the author of the November 2020 resolution Nick Greif. “It’s been six months and things haven’t gotten better. They may be more likely to be amenable to that to the ‘yes’ side.”
Support for Villanueva remains strong despite growing calls for his resignation
However, support still remains very strong for Villanueva, even with the questions surrounding Guardado’s death.
“He’s a polarizing figure,” criminal law firm researcher Julio Luna told the Globe Wednesday. “But he is also getting things done and taking a more gentle approach to handling things as compared to Sheriffs in the past. I’m not defending him, but he is trying to hybridize the need for a tough stance on crime with the compassionate approach that lawmakers and activists in Los Angeles have been asking for. He’s even angered some in his department by backing some state bills that punish first responders for sharing accident photos and removing ICE agents from many law enforcement facilities in the county.”
“Say what you will about all of that, but he’s at least been trying.”
The Sheriff’s office also released a statement on Tuesday defending Villanueva.
“Today, Sheriff Alex Villanueva began solving the homeless problem on the Venice Boardwalk, while simultaneously conducting the largest illegal drug bust operation in the history of the department,” said the Sheriff’s Department. “Also today, violent crime rates have nearly doubled, yet for some strange reason the radical left activist crowd has decided defunding the police is a good move. The LACDP calling for the Sheriff’s resignation is part of this radical agenda, evidence they have been hijacked by the far left, and a distraction.
“Villanueva will continue to remain focused on public safety, creating solutions, and serving our community.”
Villanueva is not expected to resign, although other groups have hinted that they may also demand his resignation later this year over the Guardado incident.
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I hope LASD can return Venice Boardwalk to those who rightfully live and work there.
But LASD can only do so much, Angelenos need to stop voting in the radical left. They need to be kicked out of the City Council, the Board of Supervisors and especially the District Attorney’s office.
How about Mark Gonzalez and the LA Democraps resign? Anyone who sides with BLM and the ACLU need to shove it up their @$$ ! Los Angeles’s problems are a lack of letting law enforcement do their jobs! BACK THE BLUE! Mark Gonzalez this BIG MIDDLE FINGER is for you and your Democraps!
What the state needs to do is repeal the law that requires Sheriffs have law enforcement training. This turns the Sheriffs into insiders clubs, preventing the public from electing a real outsider or real reformer.
It’s pretty obvious why these groups are trying to get rid of Alex Villanueva. He is the ONLY person in power in this filthy crime-ridden L.A. County hellhole who has dared to call the meeting to order. His actions and statements and backbone threaten to shine a glaring spotlight on this whole sorry bunch of politicians (L.A. Mayor, Council, County Board of Supervisors, etc.) and expose them and their destructive “friends” in a way no other single person can.
These electeds have done absolutely NOTHING to alleviate the nightmare that is happening in L.A. County. What’s worse is that they have endorsed the exact wrong thing every single time. Wasted lives and wasted money (lots of it) have been the result, amidst a hellish scenario that worsens daily. We already know that the politicians and their pals are benefiting from the misery of others in this unacceptable, outrageous situation. As you know they are not interested in helping anyone but themselves.
What Villanueva is doing —- and I’m betting he will succeed — is the first step toward exposing on a large scale how much of a liability these useless politicians have been to the residents of L.A. County (and by extension, the State of California). Buckle up and hang on tight, because we could very well see from this the sea change we’ve been waiting for. Obviously the power-mad money-grubbing Marxists who oppose him do not want that.
Wow, powerful response.
I hope he stays the course and succeeds in cleaning up LA County.
The guy knows how to stand his ground. He’s been attacked and will continue to be. He hasn’t backed down or taken a knee yet. He has the guts to call out every politician who isn’t doing their job and he is right to do it. Also his style is rather entertaining because, for one thing, what he says is absolutely true. This is going to get interesting for sure.
Perhaps we could repeal the same laws requiring doctors, lawyers, pilots, plumbers, electricians, engineers, nurses, teachers etc….. to have training in their profession. All professions are insider clubs. “A real outsider or reformer”, what does that even mean? BLM suppoerter, Atifa sympathizer? How are the district attorneys in San Francisco and Los Angeles working out? They are a great example of real reformers
Good point, MDP. 😉
They hate him because he is calling them out with the truth and doing something about it. As a Los Angeles County resident, I love this Sheriff.
Me too.
If BLM and the ACLU don’t like him that means he is doing something right. He is kicking A$$ and naming names…
Keep up the good work Sheriff
When you have these typically deranged leftest organizations crying as expected. The civilized and cognizant members of the community knows and understands, he’s doing what’s right. He’s on the mission, kicking A$$ and taking names…. Keep up the good work Sheriff
The Sheriff should run for Mayor. He’s a man of action: https://www.foxnews.com/us/los-angeles-deputies-lapd-venice-beach-homelessness
Sheriff Villanueva’s dealing with reality is a big offense to these entrenched Marxist and leftist do-nothing county and city politicians, sucking at the public trough as if it’s their birth right. By facilitating the issuance of CCW permits to law abiding, hard-working, county voters and taxpayers, he is calling these leftist buffoons’ hand at coddling criminals, emptying jails and prisons, and failing to prosecute crimes affecting the quality of life of a great number of residents. The thought of citizens defending themselves against the meteoric rise in crime due to their buffoonish policies, is abhorrent and insulting to leftists who sit in public office acting like they’re Jabba The Hut, the unmovable force. They are not. The people will not allow themselves to be abused forever. What is even more horrific about the sheriff’s action to these marxists in public office, who rally for de-funding police and giving criminals special rights, is that armed citizens don’t abide by Use of Force manuals, don’t carry less-lethal weapons, and don’t have as their first duty ensuring hoodlums have their day in court, so they can be released by criminal daddy Gascon. Having armed citizens providing for their own self-defense will cause these fools to wish they never de-funded the police. Stay strong, sheriff.
You said it so well, Abe.
We play Whack-A-Mole now with these politicians, so I’ll just add the RecallGascon website.
Petitions are available now. If you are a registered voter in any one of the 88 cities in L.A. County, you can sign a petition to recall this lunatic.
Download, print, read instructions, fill out, sign, and mail to the address shown.
And they will accept donations. 🙂
https://recallgeorgegascon.com/
Surprising how many come here and make statements they are unwilling to sign their name too. Who are these people hiding behind ‘screen names’ and why would anyone believe them? Fact is the sheriff’s office has been involved with some criminal acts. Alejandro has been unable/willing to clean house so it’s best he is removed from being sheriff and bring in a true reformer. https://www.dailynews.com/2020/08/05/gangs-of-sheriffs-deputies-cost-la-county-55-million/
Villanueva tried to close gun shops. Sent armed teams to forcibly vaccinate adults (do a video search. L.A. County CEO to receive $1.5 million and security in settlement over alleged harassment by sheriff Villanueva