California Attorney General Rob Bonta has declined to pursue criminal charges against former Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, his office announced Aug. 7.
Bonta claimed an independent investigation into allegations of political corruption against Kuehl and Peace Over Violence Director Patricia Giggans, made by a whistleblower two years ago, resulted in “insufficient evidence.”
“The California Department of Justice has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support the filing of charges based on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) awarding of a sole-source contract to [Peace Over Violence], or on the campaign contributions received by Supervisor Kuehl from persons affiliated with [the organization],” Bonta’s office wrote in a press release Wednesday.
In September 2021, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s office launched an investigation after a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) whistleblower alleged Kuehl awarded no-bid contracts worth more than $800,000 to Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit run by her close friend, Patricia Giggans.
The series of contracts paid for a sex-harassment hotline for Metro riders and employees between 2014 and 2020.
Jennifer Loew, the whistleblower and former Metro employee, also alleged the former Metro CEO Phillip Washington ignored billing improprieties involving the nonprofit.
The state attorney general took over the investigation in September 2022 after sheriff’s detectives searched Kuehl’s residence.
According to Bonta’s statement Wednesday, the investigation also found insufficient evidence to file criminal charges over claims that Kuehl and Giggans were told in advance of the planned search of their homes.
At the time, Villanueva, who often clashed with county supervisors, recused himself from the investigation. He reacted to Bonta’s announcement Wednesday, writing on social media that Kuehl had admitted “on live TV of being tipped off, text message, and voicemails.”
Villanueva said the FBI should open an investigation.
Kuehl, a retired actress, served as a county supervisor from 2014 to 2022 and was appointed as chairwoman of the 13-member Metro board of directors in 2018.
The former supervisor denied the allegations in 2022 and called the probe retaliation by Villanueva. A Civilian Oversight Commission, chaired by Giggans at the time, was investigating alleged “gangs” within the sheriff’s department.
Kuehl was not reachable Thursday. Giggans, who continues to serve as director of Peace Over Violence, was not immediately available to comment.
