SANTA MONICA—Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Public Corruption Unit served search warrants at multiple locations in connection with an ongoing public corruption investigation on Wednesday, September 14. One of those locations was the home of Los Angeles County Supervisor, Sheila Kuehl. 

In a statement made by Undersheriff Murakami, officials served the warrants to obtain records and other evidence in order to prove or disprove the identified parties involvement in any allegations of corruption. 

Other locations where warrants were served included the home of Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commissioner Patricia ‘Patti’ Giggans. The Los Angeles County Hall of Administration, Peace Over Violence Headquarters, and LA Metro Headquarters.

Kuehl stated that she was asleep Wednesday morning when she heard loud banging at her door. She told ABC 7 in an interview that she had not seen so many deputies in her life. In another interview with CBS 9 Kuehl said, “to be waken from sleep when you’re 5 feet tall and you’re 81 and there’s a dozen clanking deputies — it shakes you.”  She also felt the investigation, “is all bogus and harassment.” She was informed of a planned search by county counsel the day before the search transpired.

Kuehl was interviewed by multiple media outlets where she stated that the search of her home was motivated by a disgruntled former employee at Metro who became obsessed with a contract with Peace Over Violence related to sexual harassment. She claimed the supervisor had something to do with the contract, which Kuehl said was false. 

When Commissioner Giggans was met with officers at her door she had her attorney present. As her home was being searched, she held a press conference stating that she had been informed of the planned search by the Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman the previous day. 

MTA director of public relations Joni Honor said she was unaware of any law enforcement activity and had not been notified that any of its offices were being searched.

Authorities have been investigating this matter for a year and it has been shared with a federal agency which will continue to monitor.