Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators served multiple search warrants Wednesday in connection with what the agency described as a public corruption probe, including at the home of county Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
Detectives from the sheriff’s Public Corruption Unit also served warrants at the home of Patricia “Patti” Giggans and at the headquarters of Peace Over Violence, the nonprofit agency run by Giggans, who is a friend of Kuehl’s and sits on the Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission that oversees the sheriff’s department.
The unit also served warrants at the county Hall of Administration and the headquarters of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to the sheriff’s department.
No further details about the nature of the investigation were released.
“The investigation has been shared with a federal agency and they continue to monitor,” according to a sheriff’s department statement.
Kuehl — who has clashed repeatedly with Sheriff Alex Villanueva and called for his resignation — told reporters she was escorted from her home in Santa Monica at around 7 a.m. She said she was alone at the time.
Sheriff’s deputies went inside her home, and could be seen opening and closing doors and taking photos or videos, the Los Angeles Times reported from the scene. Kuehl told reporters investigators took her cell phone.
Kuehl said the probe was focused on a contract awarded by Metro to the Peace Over Violence organization for operation of a sexual-harassment hotline.
As a member of the Board of Supervisors, Kuehl sits on Metro’s Board of Directors.
Kuehl told reporters outside her home the investigation was “bogus,” suggesting it was a continuation of Villanueva’s criticism and allegations of wrongdoing by the Board of Supervisors. She said she has no knowledge about the awarding of the Peace Over Violence contract.
“What this is all about is a disgruntled employee at Metro who was let go who became obsessed with a contract that Metro took with Peace Over Violence related to sexual harassment so that they would take the calls,” Kuehl told reporters. “And she claimed that I had something to do with the contract, which was completely false.”
Kuehl said she was notified by an attorney for the county Tuesday night that the sheriff’s department was planning to show up at her home Wednesday morning.
Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, who also sits on the Metro Board of Directors, issued a statement blasting the investigation.
“This is a bogus, vindictive, politically motivated witch hunt by a corrupt sheriff with a track record of abusing his power and trying to silence and intimidate his critics,” Bonin said. “Sheila Kuehl is a public official of the highest integrity and of remarkable accomplishment. Alex Villanueva runs a department notorious for violence, scandal and civil rights violations. He is scared of civilian oversight, defies civilian oversight, and is abusing his power to get revenge on those who exercise civilian oversight.”
Villanueva has not commented on the search warrants. The sheriff is in the midst of a contentious re-election campaign, squaring off in November against former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.
Kuehl, 81, has been on the Board of Supervisors since 2014 and will be leaving the board this year. A former actress, she also served in the state Assembly and Senate.