Former County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl will not face criminal charges in relation to a no-bid contract her department awarded to the nonprofit operated by Kuehl’s friend and financial supporter, Patricia Giggins, the California Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Giggins served as the director of Peace Over Violence (POV), a domestic violence prevention center that secured the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority contract. She also will not be charged.
According to the department, “after a thorough and independent investigation into the allegations that formed the basis of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department… investigation,” it was determined that there is not enough evidence to justify filing charges related to the contract award or “the campaign contributions received by Supervisor Kuehl from persons affiliated with POV.”
The department also looked into whether any individuals had committed a crime by providing advance notice of the search warrants executed by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office on September 14, 2022, targeting Kuehl and Giggins. However, there was not enough evidence to charge anyone with a crime, they said.
This investigation may have involved Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman, a former deputy district attorney. On September 14, 2022, after sheriff’s deputies searched her home with a warrant, Kuehl told reporters, “I heard from county counsel last night that she got a tip from Max that this search would happen this morning.”
At the time, Dawyn R. Harrison, now County Counsel, was serving as acting county counsel.
In a press release on September 20, 2022, Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the Department of Justice would investigate whether any crimes were committed by allegedly giving advance notice of the search, which could have allowed Kuehl to conceal or destroy evidence.
Huntsman has refused to comment on the matter.
The State Bar has not announced any disciplinary actions against Huntsman, Harrison or Kuehl concerning the tip-off or any alleged favoritism during Kuehl’s time in office.
They need to examine the no-show jobs in the city and the county. It is all cronies. If you look at the application for jobs with LA City LA County, you’ll see that you can list who you know right there on the application. LAUSD has a nepotism problem but you’ll never get addressed. I’d love to see an accurate number of how many employees there are at LAUSD that are teachers versus just people milling around collecting a check. All this undermines democracy. When you look at things like HLA which were snuck in during a primary election with… Read more »
The lack of journalism and objectivity here continues. Can’t even have a proper headline. Crony? Really don’t need to read further. I’ll get my info elsewhere as a result.
Absolutely true. They STILL carry Villaraigosa’s water. Like he is something after his last two losses (one to a county supe). They are still Proud Boy fan boys at Wehoville (or whatever).
Career politicians who seem to be in office forever, (we have lots in Weho’s history, past and current), are the worst. I can just look at that horrible Sheila Kuehl and tell she’s guilty of something. Democrats are no better than Republicans for corruption whether it’s a no-bid contract, destroying evidence, stealing from charities and on and on. I am certain and would risk every penny I have that Sheila Kuehl cares nothing about preventing domestic violence, as long as she can personally pocket a few dollars along the way. An absolute disgrace of a human being.
sad
This was a witch hunt by disgraced former sheriff Villanueva. Good to see it end.
LOL. It was a no bid contract she gave her buddy for a hotline that had so few calls it averaged out to 8 grand per call. She then destroyed or hid evidence because she got a call from “Max”. The little troll should be in jail.
Yup.
Your description of Ms Kuehl completely negates any credibility you wanted your comment to have. She was cleared and the entire investigation was in response to her launching a probe into Villanueva and internal sheriff gangs. But don’t let facts get in your way.
Wehoonline NEVER lets facts get in the way.
of course they do.
She looks rough.
Being unethical will do that to you.
What a Trump style comment. Jeez.