Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca says, “When people like what I have, I give it to them.” And what Scientology likes about Baca is his title, which the sheriff seems to lend the controversial church whenever it wants.

Sheriff Baca, Scientology's best friend?Baca even videotaped a birthday message for the dead founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard and wrote a letter to support a controversial Scientology-linked program outside Leona Valley in California.

The Whittier Daily reports that Baca has “a $1 million campaign war chest – more than twice as much as his four challengers combined.”

The Sheriff is expected to easily win reelection.

“It’s tough to unseat an incumbent, but when you have challengers with little resources, it’s an enormous task,” a political consultant told the local newspaper.

How much of the money in Baca’s “war chest” comes from Scientologists?

It seems likely that Hubbardites grateful to Baca for promoting their interests have responded with hard cash.

Of course there is nothing new about contributing to a politician generously when he or she has helped you out.

Baca says, “A law enforcement agency that does not have strong relationships with the religious community is basically exempting one of the great tools of public safety, and I just think public safety needs all the help it can get.”

However, when that help is from a so-called “cult” like Scientology, an organization with a record of lawsuits filed by former members regarding personal injuries, not to mention criminal prosecutions around the world, should a law enforcement official embrace it in the name of “public safety” so readily without reservations?

And should the sheriff be engaged in Scientology-linked fund raisers?

Baca is paid his $249,603 per year in salary by all the taxpayers of Los Angeles County, which includes many different religious groups, not just Scientologists.

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3 comments untill now

  1. john smith @ 2006-05-28 12:47

    Well did they or did they not contribute to his campaign. Your article is just speculation and seems that you are more intent on pushing your own agenda than reporting the facts.

  2. You must be a Scientologist. Does it not make you a LITTLE suspicious when someone asks you for thousands and thousands of dollars to be a part of their “church”? Anytime, anyone asks for money or tells you that you must obey them, it is a CULT!!!!!!

    By the way, this article is not trying to push an agenda. It is merely asking a question, which all good media should do. This nation was founded on a free press, which means that they can question anyone at anytime.

  3. Funny how cults are religions until you suddenly bring up the church and state rule or they want to convert someone basically calling themself a Layered Service Provider among faiths.

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