Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
What Does The Public Battle Between LA County Sheriff And Supervisors Mean For Constituents?
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. (L.A. Sheriff's Department)
()
The battle between L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and the Board of Supervisors rages on.
After supervisors cleared a motion last week that will likely further curtail the Sheriff’s budget, Villanueva took to social media. He commented on Twitter that the move would lead to a dystopian L.A., leaving streets looking like “a scene from Mad Max.”
Earlier this month, in a Facebook video, Villanueva asked rhetorically if Supervisor Hilda Solis was trying to earn the title of “La Malinche," the byname of a female Mexican historical figure that’s also a derogatory term for ”traitor.” (The story of the real La Malinche is complicated.)
Vilanueva's social media slam of the board's only Latina member has been widely criticized, including pushback from Solis.
Support for LAist comes from
“The Sheriff's attack against me is highly unprofessional, inappropriate, racist, and sexist,” Solis said on Twitter. “I urge him to stay focused on protecting the public from problematic deputies within his Department and balancing his budget."
A spokesman for Villanueva, in turn, told the Los Angeles Times that "on the topic of 'racist and sexist comments,'" the Sheriff had been subject to insulting language from another supervisor.
Sonja Diaz, founding director of UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, said there’s more at play in this battle than just the budget.
“Recent officer-involved shootings, like that of Andres Guardado in Gardena, have elevated the role of members of the Board of Supervisors in taking a more public stance in reigning in the Sheriff,” said Diaz, adding that the battle playing out publicly could likely be to the detriment of the Sheriff.
The divide between Villanueva and the supervisors is already affecting the county budget, according to Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University. And he said the differences are likely to lead to stagnating public policy, too.
“You need to have a vision for public safety," Guerra said. "That vision is not shared."
Guerra said that’s not likely to change until we see different supervisors elected to the board, or a new Sheriff.
Support for LAist comes from
READ MORE:
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars. -
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Best of LAist