Sheriff Candidate Bob Olmsted's Press Release regarding Reisgnation of Sheriff Lee Baca

** Blogger's Note: The Campaign of former LA County Sheriff Commander Bob Olmsted was quick to respond to the sudden resignation of his former superior Sheriff Lee Baca. Judging from the tone of the release, Olmsted is seeking to brand himself as the "Reformer Candidate" to replace Baca. That said, discerning political observers may question how a supposed "reformer" would associate his campaign with Shallman Communications, but we will withhold judgment, pending learning more about the candidate and surely others yet to declare---Scott Johnson in CD 14.

  

For Immediate Release

January 7, 2014

Contact: Dave Jacobson, (818) 943-2348

Shallman Communications

 

WITH BACA RESIGNATION, OLMSTED SKYROCKETS TO FRONTRUNNER STATUS

 Whistle-Blower and LASD Reformer Hits $250,000 in Fundraising

LOS ANGELES, CA— On the heels of incumbent Sheriff Lee Baca’s resignation, today the Bob Olmsted for Los Angeles County Sheriff campaign announced that Bob Olmsted has raised a quarter of a million dollars by the December 31, 2013 fundraising deadline.

By comparison, in the most recent campaign for countywide office, former candidate and current District Attorney Jackie Lacey raised $220,000 by the same six-month-out marker in her June 2012 Primary.

Indicating his wide-ranging grassroots support, Olmsted raised over $100,000 in online contributions. Significantly a large share of those who contributed to Olmsted were current or former LASD officials, signifying the fact that those who know the department best trust Olmsted over others.

Additionally, Olmsted’s strong fundraising numbers follow his favorable poll results from an opinion research survey taken in mid-December.

The poll, conducted by EMC Research, illustrated the fact that Olmsted’s profile as a former LASD Commander and whistle-blower resonated substantially with voters, and after respondents were given information about the recent FBI indictments, Olmsted jumped to a double-digit lead over Sheriff Lee Baca, who is now no longer running, and former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka.

Combining Baca’s resignation with Olmsted’s strong fundraising performance and his favorable poll numbers, Olmsted has skyrocketed to frontrunner status in the race for Sheriff.

Olmsted stated:

“He can run from the job, but he can’t hide from the culture of corruption.  It’s like cleaning up after a hurricane.  The storm is gone, but the damage remains.  It’s time to clean house, implement major reforms and restore honesty and integrity to this department.

As a former Commander in the Sheriff's Department, I went to the FBI about misconduct in the Department only after Sheriff Baca and his crony, former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, refused to do anything about it. 

As a whistleblower, you're always taking a risk, but I knew that I had to do what is right. It is gratifying to see that we now have a chance to truly reform this department and bring the necessary changes that honor the service of the brave and honest deputies who risk their lives everyday to keep our communities safe.

I am proud to have raised a quarter of a million dollars—nearly half of this online—from everyday citizens, current and former deputy sheriffs who were willing to stand with me against a powerful incumbent.  

They understand that L.A. County deserves a Sheriff who knows how the Department works, but isn't a part of the problem. Having served 32 years in the LASD, rising to the rank of Commander, I know how the Department works, and I know how to fix it.

 It's a new day in Los Angeles County - and I think it's a sunnier one with Lee Baca gone - but we've still got a lot of work to do to make sure that we replace Lee Baca with a transformational leader who can reform the department, not somebody who will continue the same corrupt practices under a different name.”

 For additional information about Commander Bob Olmsted’s campaign for Los Angeles County Sheriff, please visit: http://olmstedinstead.com/about.php.

 

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Paid for by Olmsted Instead for Sheriff 2014