Along with his burly construct, close-cropped hair, everlasting smirk and laconic voice, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has spent his first time period making an attempt to current himself as a lonely hero thanklessly taking up societal ills.
He actually performs the position by constantly blasting the weak-willed politicians and yellow-bellied “wokeism” that, he lately declared at a discussion board with different county sheriffs, are conserving Los Angeles from being “habitable.”
There’s only one large stumbling block that retains Villanueva from even beginning his tough-on-crime mission.
It is a man whose job as head of the most important sheriff’s division in america is meant to be about defending L.A. County from dangerous hombres. As a substitute, Villanueva has spent most of his time defending his division with the bluster of a lesser John Wayne character and a pores and skin thinner than tulle.
This 12 months alone, he despatched the L.A. County Board of Supervisors a cease-and-desist letter demanding that they not confer with the deputy gangs that plague his division as, nicely, gangs, as a result of the time period is supposedly racist and demeans the greater than 50% of his deputies who're Latino. He's threatening to pull his forces from patrolling L.A. Metro as a result of the company doesn’t wish to give him an unique contract.
He spent most of an hourlong dialog with me final month railing in opposition to unflattering images of him printed by this paper and the supposedly extreme variety of Black division chiefs within the Sheriff’s Division’s previous. He then claimed in a social media put up that he was refusing to satisfy with the L.A. Occasions editorial board to hunt their endorsement … proper across the time he was assembly with them. (The board didn’t endorse him).
None of these strikes put a single prison behind bars or improved public security — , the job that a majority of L.A. County voters requested Villanueva to do when they elected him in 2018. As a substitute, we’ve seen an administration of tantrums unworthy of a preschooler denied their “Peppa Pig.” And he simply went by his worst one but.
On Tuesday, he held a press convention to allege that my Occasions colleague Alene Tchekmedyian had acquired “stolen property” and was now a topic in a prison investigation by his division. The supposed contraband she possessed was courthouse video that confirmed a deputy kneeling on the pinnacle of an inmate for 3 minutes after the inmate assaulted him. Sources advised Tchekmedyian that the footage was suppressed for months due to Villanueva’s concern that it would convey “unfavorable mild” on his embattled division.
The sheriff had first dismissed Tchekmedyian’s story as a lot ado about nothing, noting that the deputy in query was relieved of obligation after a prison investigation.
However then, he accused The Occasions of publishing the investigation to coincide with the kickoff for his reelection marketing campaign. He ordered an inner evaluation into how the video obtained into the palms of The Occasions — which, for those who keep in mind, supposedly wasn’t a giant deal.
His ideas modified but once more on the press convention. There, he forged the scenario as a grand conspiracy involving Tchekmedyian, political rival Eli Vera and L.A. County Inspector Normal Max Huntsman to take down Villanueva — and thus, public security.
Earlier than puzzled reporters, Villanueva flashed images of the three, arrows connecting every of them, and used a protracted stick with level immediately at Tchekmedyian, as if he have been Charlie Day in “It’s At all times Sunny in Philadelphia” explaining Pepe Silvia.
The investigation into the video, the sheriff promised, will contain different legislation enforcement companies and “can be handed over to the suitable prosecutorial companies in order that they make a dedication.”
Villanueva should have thought that blasting a reporter who has printed damning article after damning article about him could be a slam-dunk. As a substitute, he threw up an air ball worse than something Russell Westbrook might ever supply.
L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis — whom Villanueva as soon as recommended was a “malinche,” a sexist time period in Mexican Spanish for a treasonous lady — pledged to ask California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to look into Villanueva’s “sample of unconscionable and harmful actions.” Journalist organizations condemned the assault on Tchekmedyian as a harmful assault on the first Modification. Broadcast, print and on-line publications throughout the nation coated the mess in prime time.
The blowback was so harsh that Villanueva walked again his allegation in opposition to Tchekmedyian. Michael Jackson by no means moonwalked as quick because the sheriff slid again on his feedback.
“I have to make clear at no time immediately did I state an LA Occasions reporter was a suspect in a prison investigation,” he tweeted. By no means thoughts that he alleged precisely that simply hours earlier. Villanueva missed his mark so badly that even his loud-mouthed marketing campaign supervisor, Javier Gonzalez — who has lengthy trolled Tchekmedyian on Twitter — has been as silent as Marcel Marceau.
Villanueva uncovered himself nationally as somebody extra rattled than a can of WD-40. He’s the Unbelievable Shrinking Lawman, his threats in opposition to enemies turning into wilder and fewer efficient and little question about to extend in ineptitude as a June 7 major looms.
Didn’t I name it?
Folks warned me after I started my very own modest protection of Villanueva to observe my again — that he was scary and petty sufficient to retaliate in opposition to me. I anticipated to come across a goon when the 2 of us lastly met in individual. As a substitute, I summed him up after shaking his hand and feeling his weak-salsa grip. He’s a traditional bully — a wounded soul, à la Richard Nixon, who has no time to mirror on his personal sins as a result of he must lash out on the merciless world that retains him down.
I’d really feel dangerous for him if he didn’t wield a lot energy or goal opponents so ruthlessly and laughably.
I perceive and recognize the priority folks have for Tchekmedyian. However this complete episode jogs my memory of an alternate that the legendary labor reporter John Reed had with Eugene V. Debs. The socialist politician had simply been arrested after giving an antiwar speech on the peak of World Warfare I, and Reed requested Debs whether or not he feared opponents would possibly lynch him.
“I do know that as long as I maintain my eye on them, they received’t dare to do something,” Debs responded. “As a rule, they’re cowardly curs, anyway. Preserve your eye proper on them, that’s all.”
That’s what we’re all doing with Villanueva, greater than ever.
Post a Comment