LA County delivers sharp rebuke to Sheriff Villanueva
L.A. County Auditor-Controller orders deputy rehired by Sheriff Villanueva to turn in badge, weapon
After a showdown between Sheriff Alex Villanueva and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, L.A. County Auditor-Controller John Naimo wrote to Mandoyan, "your reinstatement was unlawful" and "you are not authorized to serve as a Department employee."
The sheriff is independently elected, although supervisors control the department’s $3.4 billion budget. After the contentious late January meeting, supervisors directed county counsel to research the L.A. County Charter and other laws to see how to proceed when there is such a conflict between the board and sheriff.
“None of us is so independent that we can do anything we damn well please,” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl told Villanueva.