Relativity Media is denying the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department's claim that CEO Ryan Kavanaugh may have impeded the manhunt for Christopher Dorner, the former LAPD officer accused of killing four people, including two law enforcement officers.
The L.A. County Sheriff's department is investigating Kavanaugh for possibly impeding law enforcement officials' search for Dorner.
Kavanaugh is alleged to have landed his helicopter on a Sheriff's Department helipad during the search, though it's unclear how that may have impeded the investigation.
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A spokesperson for Relativity and Kavanaugh insists that the Hollywood mogul didn't slow down authorities and calls the investigation politically motivated.
"This is another predictably sad and desperate attempt to distract the people of Los Angeles County from an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into the Sheriff's unlawful treatment of minorities. It's disappointing that the Sheriff continues to waste taxpayer resources to pursue his own politically motivated vendetta," the spokesperson said.
A spokesman for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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According to an individual familiar with the situation, Kavanaugh was asked to support Sheriff Lee Baca in his bid for reelection next year and when he declined, Baca launched this investigation.
Kavanaugh is believed to have pledged his support to Paul Tanaka, one of Baca's former top aides, in the event he runs for sheriff in next year's election. It was Baca who reportedly forced Tanaka to step down from his post.
According to the L.A. Times, Baca’s spokesman denied allegations that its investigation was politically motivated, saying “this criminal investigation has nothing to do with politics.”
The Times reported that Kavanaugh happens to be a sheriff's department volunteer and was landing near its headquarters in Monterey Park to meet with Tanaka as the search started to intensify, though he did not learn about it until he was leaving.