L.A. County wins ex-Sheriff Alex Villanueva's suit over 'no-rehire' listing

A federal judge Thursday handed a win to Los Angeles County and threw out former Sheriff Alex Villanueva's lawsuit over his placement on a "do not rehire" list.

Villanueva's complaint lacks standing because he could show no evidence his political or employment ambitions suffered as a result of his placement on the list, or that a potential job with the county hung in the balance, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson wrote, granting summary judgment to the county.

"It is hard to imagine how being placed on a do not rehire list could serve as an injury if [the] plaintiff does not desire to be rehired," Wilson wrote.

Villanueva could not immediately be reached for comment.

This is the second time Villanueva has tried suing the county, according to the Los Angeles Times. This time he tried suing for $25 million dollars. 

The ex-sheriff, who lost his bid for re-election in 2022, was investigated by an oversight panel looking into harassment and retaliation complaints stemming from comments the former sheriff made about Inspector General Max Huntsman and for allegedly targeting and harassing women of color.

The former lawman alleged in Los Angeles federal court that he was investigated without being informed or given a chance to respond.

The suit -- which alleged civil rights violations, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress -- alleged that the allegations against Villanueva had already been determined to be unfounded, but the county went forward anyway with an investigation "without ever notifying Villanueva or providing him with notice of any type."

Villanueva said he was never able to address the allegations, nor was he made aware of the findings. The results of the probe, Villanueva would learn, "placed him on a `Do Not Hire' list that severely affects, limits, and otherwise precludes Villanueva's employment opportunities in the county government, as well as directly and indirectly detrimentally affecting Villanueva's employment prospects across the board," according to the 248-page June filing.

The complaint also named as defendants the county Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff's Department, the Equity Oversight Panel, the Office of Inspector General, Huntsman and others.

Villanueva argued that the county's actions were politically motivated and lacked transparency and due process.

Carney Shegerian, Villanueva's attorney, has said the 2024 lawsuit aimed to have the "no rehire" notation removed from the former sheriff's record and sought $25 million compensation for alleged damage to his reputation.

According to a Los Angeles Times story, Huntsman had accused Villanueva of "dog-whistling to the extremists he caters to" when he repeatedly referred to the inspector general by his foreign-sounding birth name, Max-Gustaf. Villanueva denies that his use of the name "Max-Gustaf" is discriminatory or harassing.

A few weeks later, Villanueva publicly accused Huntsman of being a Holocaust denier -- purportedly without any evidence.

Around the same time, a justice deputy for county Supervisor Hilda Solis filed a complaint accusing Villanueva of targeting and harassing women of color. Last fall, the County Equity Oversight Panel sustained complaints in both cases and recommended Villanueva -- who had been voted out of office by that point -- be deemed ineligible for rehire.

In addition to losing his bid for re-election as sheriff, Villanueva subsequently lost a primary election against incumbent Fourth District county Supervisor Janice Hahn.

During his tenure as sheriff, the ACLU claimed he stonewalled an independent investigation in LASD’s killing of 18-year-old Andres Guardado in Gardena and tolerated so-called “secret societies” of sheriff deputy gangs, like the Banditos in East Los Angeles—prompting an FBI investigation in 2019. 

Additional reporting by City News Service.