Candidates For LA County District Attorney Blast George Gascón During Debate

L.A. District Attorney George Gascón was the main target during a debate among his nine challengers Wednesday night. Gascón skipped the event — a fact police union organizers highlighted by placing an empty podium with his name on it on the stage.

Most of the challengers’ main complaints were that Gascón’s policies are too lenient. On the day he took office last year, Gascón introduced a sweeping set of reforms that rolled back penalties for people who commit crimes. He said it was part of his agenda of easing mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Nearly all of his opponents vowed during the debate to reverse his reforms.

“The public is crying out for someone who’ll put their interests first rather than criminals,” said Nathan Hochman, who ran for state attorney general as a Republican last year and now wants to replace Gascón.

Superior Court Judge Debra Archeleta said the DA “prioritizes criminals over everyone else.”

“We need to get the district attorney’s office back to its core mission, which is public protection,” said retired judge David Milton.

Gascón's reforms

Gascón has directed his nearly 1,000 prosecutors to decline charges involving 13 categories of low-level misdemeanors, including driving on a suspended license, drug and paraphernalia possession, and public intoxication.

He also ordered his prosecutors to no longer file a range of sentencing enhancements, which are designed to extend prison sentences.

“On day one, I will repeal and replace all nine of the directives that George Gascón issued,” said Deputy District Attorney John McKinney, one of four of Gascón’s prosecutors running against him.

The other three include Jon Hatami, Maria Ramirez and Eric Siddall.

“The blanket policies should all be revoked,” said Hatami.

One candidate stood out as more progressive than the others. Former federal prosecutor Jeff Chemerinsky said he was a “strong believer” in criminal justice reform.

“The jails are seriously overcrowded and we need to be smart about how we go about these policies ... prioritizing the violent criminals and deprioritizing the less violent and non-dangerous criminals,” he said. But Chemerinsky also said Gascón had gone too far with his reforms.

A spokesperson for Gascón said the DA was unable to participate in last night’s debate because of a previously scheduled appearance at a Democratic club at the same hour.

Challengers pin property crime rate on the DA

In the past, Gascón has defended his policies as an effort to make the justice system more fair.

But many of his challengers blame him for rising crime rates. While violent crime is down in the city of L.A., property crimes — including burglary and personal theft — have increased by more than 17% so far this year compared to the same time two years ago, according to the LAPD.

Other cities with both progressive and conservative prosecutors have seen similar crime trends. But Gascón’s focus on reform r has made him a target of criticism.

“We need a district attorney, not a public defender,” Hatami said.

Gascón has a low approval rating

Gascón is considered to be vulnerable in next year’s election. A poll last year by the UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times found 46% of voters disapprove of his performance in office compared to 21% who approve.

If the DA doesn’t get a majority of votes in the March primary, he’ll be forced into a November runoff. Each of his challengers said they would be best positioned to beat Gascón in a runoff.

“There is only one person on this stage that has shown actual leadership as it pertains to George Gascón and that is me,” said Siddall, who as vice president of the Association of Deputy District Attorney has been among the DA’s sharpest critics.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón marked his first year in office at a press conference on Dec. 8, 2021. He's now running for reelection.

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Robyn Beck

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AFP via Getty Images

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The ADDA successfully sued Gascón after he took office, forcing him to roll back some of his policies. The DA has also voluntarily scaled back some of his reforms in response to pressure.

Each candidate also said they had the best management experience to run the DA’s office, although only Ramirez has been a high level manager in the office.

“I have worked in a management capacity under three different elected DA’s,” said Ramirez. “I have had a front row seat to leadership at its best and leadership at its worst.”

Opponents cite low morale

The candidates criticized Gascón as a bad manager and promised to improve morale inside the DA’s office, which has seen an increase in vacancies under Gascón. Hatami called him a “dictator.”

Judge Craig Mitchell predicted that if Gascón is ousted, “there is going to be an avalanche of people applying to the district attorney’s office."

Nobody talked about police accountability at the debate, which was sponsored by the region’s major police unions. The unions included the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs and L.A. Police Protective League, which represents rank and file LAPD officers.

Gascón has said he’s made police accountability a top priority, filing criminal charges against 15 current or former officers who have shot people or been involved in their deaths as a result of the use of force.

His two predecessors filed charges against two officers over 20 years.