Three family-run Napa County wineries are asking state and federal prosecutors to investigate the county for alleged civil rights violations regarding its permitting and code enforcement practices.

In a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Ismail Ramsey, the wineries — Hoopes Vineyard, Summit Lake Vineyards and Smith-Madrone Vineyards — accuse Napa County officials of engaging in unconstitutional regulatory practices, enforcing codes without probable cause or evidence and abuse of power.

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Kiley Russell writes primarily for Local News Matters on issues related to equity and the environment. A Bay Area native, he has lived most of his life in Oakland. He studied journalism at San Francisco State University, worked for the Associated Press and the former Contra Costa Times, among other outlets. He has covered everything from state legislatures, local governments, federal and state courts, crime, growth and development, political campaigns of various stripes, wildfires and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.