Steve Lopez, LATimes

Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez defended himself against critics of his “attempt to interview” a former city politician in a blogpost.  Lopez responded to critics of his Jan. 13 story about former Bell city administrator Robert Rizzo by saying:

“First, I have no regrets.  Second, I’m not sorry.”

The Jan. 13 post reported Lopez’s trip to the International Surfing Museum, where Rizzo was working as a parking lot guard.

Rizzo, he wrote, “was charged along with other city officials of misappropriating millions of dollars in public funds from that financially crippled community while finagling a staggering salary for himself of nearly $800,000 a year.”

Rizzo seemingly ignored Lopez’s attempts to interview him.

As Lopez put it, Rizzo “has been essentially unresponsive and unavailable since the story broke, and I thought it was worth trying to get him to talk when I had a rare chance.” He added, “I’d also like to say that despite one reader’s claim that Latinos like me should be kicked out of the country, I’m actually thinking of staying, at least until I see what happens at Rizzo’s trial.”

Hat Tip: Romenesko