Alex Villanueva has been aggressively covering up the existence of ‘deputy gangs’ in Los Angeles County for longer than he’s been sheriff

Police White supremacist gangs

Alex Villanueva wasn’t even sheriff of Los Angeles County yet in late 2018, when he passed down an order not to look into a ‘deputy gang’ named the Banditos.[1] Early this year, he sent a “cease and desist” order to politicians who used the term “deputy gangs,”[2] even as, the following month, an inspector general identified 41 members of such gangs[3] and an oversight commission began its own investigation.[4]

In short, Villanueva has been aggressively covering up the existence of ‘deputy gangs’ in L.A. County for longer than he’s been sheriff.[5] Some will surely suspect he must be a member himself.

Alene Tchekmedyian, “Investigators probing ‘deputy gang’ violence were told not to ask about Banditos, chief says,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-21/investigators-probing-deputy-gang-violence-were-told-not-to-ask-about-banditos-chief-says


Gun nuttery

Senate negotiators released the text of a gun control bill which, crucially, ten Republicans have signed on to:[6]

The bill would set up a $750 million fund to help states put in place and enforce extreme protection orders, known as red-flag laws, that allow firearms to be removed if a person is deemed dangerous to themselves or others. If passed, the bill would close the so-called boyfriend loophole, expanding current law to prohibit dating partners or recent dating partners convicted of domestic violence from purchasing a firearm. Rights for those individuals will be restored after five years if they haven’t been convicted of other violent crime. . . .

The legislation would also set up a grant program for states to expand mental-health services and for schools to increase safety measures. It would appropriate $1.35 billion for schools to expand mental-health and supportive services and increase school security.

The package also will include a crackdown on illegal sales of guns and would require an investigative period to review juvenile and mental-health records for 18- to 21-year-old gun purchasers. The expanded background check for the young buyers could involve a call to a local police department and take up to 10 days if there are areas of concern that authorities need to follow up on. The bill would make it a federal crime to engage in straw purchases—the buying of a gun for someone else—or gun trafficking, which is the illegal trading of guns. . . .

The National Rifle Association said it would oppose the legislation because it “can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, and use federal dollars to fund gun control measures.”[7]

But, if history is any guide, with the National Rifle Association opposed,[8] the bill likely has a snowball’s chance in hell.

Bill Chappell, “Texas GOP’s new platform says Biden didn’t really win. It also calls for secession,” National Public Radio, June 20, 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/06/20/1106229988/texas-gops-new-platform-says-biden-didnt-really-win-it-also-calls-for-secession

Michael Tomasky, “The Founders Feared a Tyranny of the Majority, but What We Have Is a Tyranny of a Fanatical Minority,” New Republic, June 20, 2022, https://newrepublic.com/article/166848/gop-minority-rule-gun-safety

Eliza Collins and Natalie Andrews, “Senate Negotiators Release Text of Gun Bill,” Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-control-talks-held-up-by-abortion-provision-11655827268


Bill Cosby

Kenan Draughorne, “Jury finds Bill Cosby sexually abused teen in the 1970s, orders him to pay $500,000,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-06-21/bill-cosby-verdict-judy-huth-civil-trial


Ukraine

Sanctions against Russia are still not much affecting ordinary life in Moscow as some who fled at the outset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are returning home.[9]

Nataliya Vasilyeva, “Russia accuses Lithuania of imposing siege on Kaliningrad by halting rail cargo,” Telegraph, June 20, 2022, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/06/20/kremlin-accuses-lithuania-imposing-siege-kaliningrad-halting/

Julia Ioffe, “The Putin Apostates Come Home,” Puck News, June 21, 2022, https://puck.news/the-putin-apostates-come-home/


  1. [1]Alene Tchekmedyian, “Investigators probing ‘deputy gang’ violence were told not to ask about Banditos, chief says,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-21/investigators-probing-deputy-gang-violence-were-told-not-to-ask-about-banditos-chief-says
  2. [2]Alene Tchekmedyian, “Sheriff Villanueva demands L.A. County leaders stop using term ‘deputy gangs,’” Los Angeles Times, February 17, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-17/sheriff-villanueva-deputy-gangs-cease-and-desist-county-supervisors
  3. [3]Alene Tchekmedyian, “Inspector general identifies 41 sheriff’s deputies who allegedly belong to gang-like groups,” Los Angeles Times, March 22, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-22/sheriff-deputies-executioners-banditos
  4. [4]Alene Tchekmedyian, “L.A. County panel launches investigation into Sheriff’s Department ‘deputy gangs,’” Los Angeles Times, March 24, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-24/civilian-oversight-commisson-deputy-gangs-investigation
  5. [5]Alene Tchekmedyian, “Investigators probing ‘deputy gang’ violence were told not to ask about Banditos, chief says,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-21/investigators-probing-deputy-gang-violence-were-told-not-to-ask-about-banditos-chief-says
  6. [6]Eliza Collins and Natalie Andrews, “Senate Negotiators Release Text of Gun Bill,” Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-control-talks-held-up-by-abortion-provision-11655827268
  7. [7]Eliza Collins and Natalie Andrews, “Senate Negotiators Release Text of Gun Bill,” Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-control-talks-held-up-by-abortion-provision-11655827268
  8. [8]Eliza Collins and Natalie Andrews, “Senate Negotiators Release Text of Gun Bill,” Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-control-talks-held-up-by-abortion-provision-11655827268
  9. [9]Julia Ioffe, “The Putin Apostates Come Home,” Puck News, June 21, 2022, https://puck.news/the-putin-apostates-come-home/

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