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BY BRIAN HEWS
In February 2021, Hews Media Group-Cerritos News exclusively learned that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office of Integrity was investigating Metro CEO Phil Washington and served search warrants on the Los Angeles offices of Metro and Peace Over Violence.
But the story was ignored by the media.
HMG-CN reported that the wide-ranging investigation included a who’s who of high-profile government officials in Los Angeles, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
Today a search warrant was served at Kuehl’s house.
Kuehl, who represents L.A. County’s 3rd District, is cooperating with deputies.
In the Feb 2021 story, both the D.A.’s office and Metro’s Communication Department did not deny the existence of an August email from Alan Yochelson , head of the D.A.’s Office of Public Integrity, and obtained by HMG-CN, related to the search warrants.
According to sources who were close to the investigation, there were several other high-profile officials under scrutiny including Kuehl; L. A. County Supervisors Sheila Hilda Solis, Kathryn Barger, former Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. City Councilman Gil Cedillo, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, and former DA Jackie Lacey.
Those at Metro include other high-ranking officials that reported to Washington.
The allegations and subsequent D.A. investigation are the result of two whistleblowers that have been trying to get the attention of law enforcement and the D.A for over three years with their letters, emails and strong evidence.
The D.A., the FBI, Homeland Security, and the FDA, according to sources, have several sworn affidavits from other employees corroborating the whistleblower’s allegations.
Employees have alleged in their affidavits and lawsuits several cover-ups by investigators followed by retaliation ranging from demotions to outright firing.
One whistleblower filed multiple complaints with Metro, the L.A. County Sheriff’s and the LAPD in early July 2019. She also filed with the L. A. D.A.’s Public Integrity boss Alan Yochelson later in the month, only to fall on deaf ears.
Finally in an August letter to the FBI, the whistleblower received an acknowledgement that the FBI was investigating.
Then in November, she received an email from Alan Yochelson acknowledging an investigation and naming the person in charge.
The investigation by the agencies runs the gambit of public corruption: pay-to-play, sole-source contracts, intimidation, retaliation, and favoritism in hiring.
Four months later, HMG-CN again exclusively reported that a search warrant, issued March 1, 2021, indicated law enforcement officials believe multiple felonies were committed in relation to the nonprofit, Peace Over Violence.
Once again ignored by local media outlets.
POV, which operated Metro’s “Off-Limits” sexual-harassment counseling hotline, was the subject of the search, but HMG-CN also reported that other high-level executives at Metro were the subject of the warrant and searches; officials from both organizations would not comment further and the sheriffs would not comment on the contents of the search warrant.
The search warrant stated that, “there is probable cause to believe that the property described [below] may be found at the location [below] and that it was used to commit felonies.
“[The property] is possessed by a person with the intent to use it as a means of committing a public offense or is possessed by another to whom he or she may have delivered it for the purpose of concealing it or preventing it’s discovery.”
“[The property] tends to show that a felony has been committed or that a particular person has committed a felony.”
The warrant gave five days to gather the requested records under eight categories, indicating a wide-ranging investigation involving POV, L.A. County and City Elected officials, and executives at Metro, including the recently departed CEO Phil Washington.
The warrant demanded any and all contracts between Peace Over Violence and the Board of Supervisors and more significantly;
Any and all contracts concerning POV and any organization under the control of the county and or the Board of Supervisors including Metro;
An exhaustive list of call log categories from POV’s Off-Limits hotline;
Any written or digital communications between POV and Metro;
Internal [Metro] evaluations or audits concerning the Off-Limits hotline;
Alex Wiggins’ personnel file, Wiggins is the former Chief of Security Systems and Law Enforcement for Metro.
An all-inclusive item asking for any reports, forms, documents, notes, photographs, written and digital communications of any internal investigation conducted by Metro involving POV;
Any and all communication between the following persons:
Phil Washington, who is now the CEO nominee of the Denver Airport, and was the subject of an article by the Denver Post where the Mayor of Denver, Michael Hancock, is on the record saying Washington was not a named in the warrant.
Alex Wiggins, former Chief of Security Systems and Law Enforcement for Metro and Imelda Hernandez, Manager of Transportation Planning who worked under Wiggins were named.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and her Commissioner Patty Giggins, the Executive Director of POV.
Madeline Moore, Kuehl‘s current Transportation Deputy; Metro employee Stephanie Larue (Burke), who allegedly falsified documents regarding POV.
Moore (bottom) cited as deputy under Kuehl.
Daniel Rodman, who is Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Transportation Deputy; and Bob Green, former chief of staff of LAPD Chief Michael Moore, who recently resigned his Metro position.
Rodman (bottom) cited as deputy under Garcetti.
The document also showed Metro’s law firm, Kendall Brill and Kelly, LLP attempting to quash the warrant several times in LA Superior court.
