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LA Sheriff Says He Will Defy Oversight Panel's Subpoena
A screenshot of Sheriff Alex Villanueva at a press conference on COVID-19 Monday, March 16, 2020. (L.A. County Sheriff's Department)
L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva's running feud with the Civilian Oversight Commission deepened today, when he said he would ignore its subpoena calling on him to testify tomorrow about his efforts to protect jail inmates from COVID-19.
The panel issued the subpoena May 7 after the sheriff was a no-show at previous meetings. Voters gave the commission subpoena power when they overwhelmingly approved Measure R in March.
Villanueva said the measure violates the state constitution, which he argued protects elected sheriffs from this type of local scrutiny.
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