Sheriff Villanueva - Part 2
Imperfect Paradise
LAist Studios
4.5 • 535 Ratings
🗓️ 6 October 2022
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
When retired Lt. Alex Villanueva announces his candidacy for sheriff in 2017, no one takes him seriously. But with the support of the local Democratic party, immigrant rights activists, and lots of political savvy, he pulls off a shocking defeat of the sitting sheriff – something that hasn’t happened in over 100 years. Almost as soon as he takes office, Villanueva re-hires a former deputy (and friend) who was fired for domestic violence and lying, and things begin to go off the rails.
Transcript
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| 0:34.4 | It's a Saturday morning, about a month before voting starts in 2018, and I'm inside the sanctuary at Ward A.M.E. Church in South L.A. |
| 0:44.6 | I'm here to moderate a debate between Alex Vianueva and incumbent sheriff Jim McDonald. |
| 0:52.0 | Esther Lim organized it. |
| 1:01.6 | At the time, Esther worked for the ACLU, going inside L.A. County jails and monitoring how people were being treated by deputies. |
| 1:06.7 | As folks are getting seated, she walks up to the front, looking exasperated. You will soon notice that one candidate is missing from today's forum, and that is the current |
| 1:13.3 | Sheriff of Los Angeles, Jim McDonald. |
| 1:17.0 | Sheriff McDonald is the establishment candidate. |
| 1:20.3 | He's got the backing of everybody from the mayor of L.A. to the district attorney. |
| 1:25.0 | But he didn't show up for this debate. |
| 1:27.4 | His campaign manager says it's because Vianoava makes false statements about to the district attorney. But he didn't show up for this debate. |
| 1:31.6 | His campaign manager says it's because Viannaueva makes false statements about McDonald and the department. |
| 1:33.9 | But I think McDonald also just didn't take Vianueva seriously. |
| 1:38.5 | If you'd like, jump on Twitter and urge Sheriff McDonald to come to this event. |
| 1:44.4 | It's not too late. In fact, he can come late. |
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