A new friend happened to ask about the second interview Dave Bryan and I shot with outward bound Sheriff Lee Baca.

 

It was an interesting experience.  I’d never been up to his office on one of the upper floors of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau (dang, I don’t remember if it was the top floor. .  .probably. . .maybe. . .meh, doesn’t matter) in Monterey Park.

 

 

Dave and I sat in the lobby and waited for Baca.  He was caught up in traffic while out explaining his decision to drop out of the Sheriff’s race and to retire.

 

 

We were escorted up to Baca’s office, but had to wait for a Telemundo crew to wrap up their interview with Baca.

 

It wasn’t exactly a comfortable interview.  We’d just talked to Baca the day before and in that interview he gave no indication that he was planning or was thinking of dropping out of the race and/or retiring.

 

 

That particular omission led to some tough questions for Baca.  It was a civil interview and Baca gave us his point of view on his decision.

 

Being in the office and behind the camera, my perspective on the interchange between Dave and Baca might have been different from the people who had the luxury of watching it on TV.

 

He didn’t seem to be squirming and actually seemed apologetic for having to put up a front that led people to believe there was no part of him considering dropping out.

 

 

There is always the possibility that something more was going on behind the scenes.  The Sheriff’s Department has been under fire quite a bit for abuses during Baca’s time as Sheriff.

 

The race will go on.  Baca will retire.

 

If anything else happens (hello! like, maybe, criminal charges) that brings Baca back into public eye, we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

After how we had to go back and re-interview him, somehow I’m feeling like we aren’t done with Baca just yet.

 

I’ll keep you posted.