Los Angeles, California — A federal judge has dismissed a $25 million lawsuit filed by former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva for a second time. In this legal action, Villanueva alleges that county officials defamed him and infringed on his rights, leading to significant professional repercussions.
In his lawsuit, Villanueva contends that his personnel file was marked as “do not rehire,” which he claims has hindered his job prospects. The designation followed a determination by a county panel that he had engaged in harassment against two officials. He described the Internal Affairs Bureau’s investigation into his behavior as a “sham,” asserting it violated his due process rights.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson initially dismissed Villanueva’s original suit in September but allowed for the possibility of refiling due to unresolved claims. Following this, Villanueva did refile his case, alleging emotional distress and claiming the “do not rehire” label made employment difficult. However, Wilson ruled against him again, stating there was not enough evidence to demonstrate he suffered harm or that the designation cost him potential job opportunities.
Attorneys representing Los Angeles County did not respond to requests for comment regarding the recent ruling. In his decision, Judge Wilson noted that while the federal claims were dismissed, state matters related to the case remain pending, and he declined to assert jurisdiction over those issues.
Villanueva’s legal battle began after Inspector General Max Huntsman accused him of making a “racially based attack” in 2022 by repeatedly using Huntsman’s birth name, Max-Gustaf. Additionally, Villanueva alleged that Huntsman was a Holocaust denier without providing supporting evidence, a claim Huntsman has denied. This confrontation led to a county investigation, which contributed to the contested employment designation against Villanueva.
In a recent court filing, the former sheriff challenged a psychiatric assessment commissioned by the county, which labeled him as having traits consistent with a “white-collar psychopath.” Judge Wilson’s 28-page ruling highlighted that Villanueva failed to provide sufficient proof for many of his assertions and did not adequately demonstrate the impact of the county’s actions on his employment opportunities.
The dismissal comes amid allegations from county lawyers claiming that Villanueva has engaged in harassment against current Sheriff Robert Luna and members of the Board of Supervisors by attempting to summon them as witnesses for a potential civil trial. He also included former reporter Keri Blakinger, known for covering the “do not rehire” story, on his list of intended witnesses.
Earlier allegations from former justice deputy Esther Lim, which emerged alongside Huntsman’s accusations, suggested that Villanueva exhibited a pattern of harassing behavior toward women of color during social media livestreams. Lim’s allegations resulted in an investigation and a similar “do not rehire” designation.
Huntsman and Lim declined to comment on the latest developments in the ongoing legal situation.
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