Federal Judge Dismisses Former Sheriff Villanueva's $25 Million Lawsuit Over 'Do Not Rehire' Designation
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson dismissed former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva's $25 million federal lawsuit against the county. The lawsuit alleged defamation and due process violations related to his placement on a "do not rehire" list. In his 28-page ruling, Judge Wilson stated that Villanueva failed to provide sufficient evidence demonstrating that the "do not rehire" designation negatively affected his employment prospects or caused him the emotional distress that he allegedly felt. The judge noted, "It is hard to imagine how being placed on a Do Not Rehire list could serve as an injury if Plaintiff does not desire to be rehired."Villanueva's lawsuit originated from investigations by the County Equity Oversight Panel, which upheld complaints that he had harassed Inspector General Max Huntsman in a 'racially based attack' by referring to Huntsman by his birth name, Max-Gustaf. Villanueva accused Huntsman of being a Holocaust denier, which Huntsman refuted based on a lack of evidence.
Villanueva was also accused in a separate complaint made by Esther Lim, a former justice deputy for county Supervisor Hilda Solis, that Villanueva repeatedly harassed women of color in social media livestream comments. According to Wilson, while the judge has now dismissed the last federal claim, there are still matters that the federal court "declines to exercise jurisdiction over" and are now left to the state court.'We're very pleased that the Sheriff's consequential complaints of defamation and emotional distress will move forward, and that we'll have the opportunity to hold the County of Los Angeles accountable in state court,' Carney Shegerian, Villanueva's attorney, stated.In 2022, Villanueva lost his reelection bid and subsequently failed in a primary election for a seat on the County Board of Supervisors.
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