Thread by @mikebonin

The sheriff says he's coming to Venice.

He didn’t call to offer services or housing, which would help. He went on a PR blitz, promising his own notorious brand of justice.

To anyone familiar with Villanueva and LASD, that's incredibly ominous.

(thread) (1/15)

Any involvement from Villanueva is troubling, especially for people concerned with civil rights.

Here's some of what the Civilian Oversight Commission said about him and LASD:

*threatened progress on reforms designed to enhance accountability for deputy misconduct.

(2/15)

*removed the department’s constitutional policing advisors

*attempted to rehire deputies who were fired for cause, such as fabricating evidence and domestic violence.

(3/15)

*deactivated disciplinary proceedings against deputies accused of excessive force and child abuse.

* blocked efforts to ensure independent oversight of deputy-involved shooting investigations.

(4/15)

*violated the 1st Amendment rights of residents engaging in protest activity as well as journalists covering protests.

*In defending the arrest of KPCCC's @josie_huang, cited inaccurate and misleading info that was contradicted by contemporaneous video footage.

(5/15)

*bypassed the regular investigative process, ordered the destruction of the photos, blocked efforts to examine his handling of the leaked photos of the Kobe Bryant crash site

*repeatedly failed to comply with a subpoena compelling evidence in the Bryant investigation

(6/15)

*attempted to intimidate and belittle individuals and entities tasked with providing oversight of the Sheriff’s Department.

*Villanueva used a racist and sexist slur against Supervisor Hilda Solis

(7/15)

*Violent deputy gangs continue to operate within the department

*Members of the gangs subvert the chain of command, promote violence, celebrate Nazi symbols and have cost the County millions of dollars to settle claims related to misconduct by alleged gang members.

(8/15)

*a recent report by the Loyola Center for Juvenile Law and Policy found that the number of deputy-involved shootings has increased particularly in the Sheriff’s Department’s substations where deputy gangs exist.

(9/15)

But, there’s more.

After @cerisecastle did an incredible 15-part expose of gang activity within the sheriff’s department, he denied such gangs even exist. knock-la.com/tradition-of-v…

(10/15)

Still more.

The state of California has launched a civil rights investigation into his department over excessive force, retaliation, and misconduct: nbcnews.com/news/us-news/c… (11/15)

In Venice, we're working to marshall resources to offer housing and services to hundreds of people living on the streets. Villanueva hasn't offered actual help.

This is a serious crisis. We need people interested in solving it, not exploiting it.

(12/15)

He is a roadblock progress. Last fall, when proponents of @reimagine_la were fighting for things needed to address homelessness - healthcare, jobs, housing. Villanueva led the opposition.

People who oppose solutions sure like to come to the Westside to make noise. (13/15)

VIllanueva is exploiting Venice to spread the nefarious lie, amplified by Tucker Carlson, John & Ken, and the LAPPL, that crime and homelessness are caused by progressives and that the only fix is tougher laws, longer sentences, and more prisons. (14/15)

They promise a broken response. To address this crisis, to save lives, and restore our public spaces, we need housing and services, not handcuffs and civil rights violations. (15./15)

https://twitter.com/mikebonin/status/1400502147079303168?s=20