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Castro-Silva to Resign as L.A. County Counsel
Will Depart After Less Than 15 Months on the Job; Cites ‘Personal Reasons’
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Rodrigo A. Castro-Silva has announced that, for “personal reasons,” he will resign as Los Angeles County counsel effective March 31.
The decision to quit his post came as a surprise in light of the short duration of his tenure. Castro-Silva was appointed to the post by the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 5 of last year.
He replaced Mary Wickham who left the office to become a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner, soon after that hanging up her robe to accept the post of executive director of the county’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness.
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RODRIGO A. CASTRO-SILVA County Counsel |
Email to Staff
Castro-Silva said in an email to staff on Monday:
“Dear County Counsel Staff:
“I am very sad to inform you that, for personal reasons, I intend to separate from County service effective close of business on March 31, 2022. I have informed the Board of my decision and wanted to let you all know from me directly.
“It has been an incredible honor to have served as your County Counsel since January 2021 and to have been a member of this wonderful Office since March 2014. When I joined, I never imagined that I would one day have the privilege of becoming the County Counsel. I thank you all for having made these past eight years some of the most rewarding years of my life as an attorney. I strongly believe that this Office is the best public civil law office for which an attorney can work.
“I will miss you all. It has truly been an honor and a privilege.
“Now, get back to work!! There’s still a month left!”
Letter to Bonta
In a Dec. 6 letter to state Attorney General Rob Bonta, Castro-Silva charged that Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is conducting “intimidating, politically motivated investigations” of critics, asserting:
“Sheriff Villanueva has used these investigations to discourage legitimate oversight of himself and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and to retaliate against any public official who criticizes him or the Sheriff’s Department.”
Bonta said last month he will look into the matter.
Castro-Silva, whose law degree is from USC, was admitted to practice in 1996. e was previously acting county counsel, from November 2020 until his appointment by the board, and before that was a senior assistant county counsel.
Copyright 2022, Metropolitan News Company