Lee Baca

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Meg Whitman launched an attack ad on Thursday accusing Jerry Brown of being soft on crime. At today's press conference on Prop. 19, L.A. Sheriff Lee Baca fired back, saying Whitman “doesn't know what she's talking about.”

Brown has touted Baca's endorsement in pushing back against the Whitman ad. Baca argued that Brown helped to reduce crime as mayor of Oakland while Whitman was on the sidelines.

“For her to discredit Jerry Brown and imply he doesn't have a record — he has a record,” Baca said. “Where was Meg Whitman when we needed her?”

Baca, a Republican who often endorses both candidates in a race, also said that Whitman had never called him to seek his endorsement, which seemed to annoy him.

“If President Bush can call me for an endorsement, and Al Gore can call me for an endorsement, and John McCain can call me for an endorsement… I think if you're running for governor of California, you ought to call me,” Baca said.

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