A heated confrontation took place at Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday as candidates urged Marissa Roy, supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), to step down from her City Attorney race due to her involvement in a contentious proposal that seeks to pause misdemeanor prosecutions for 100 days. Opponents worry this plan might be revived if she wins.
The significance of this position cannot be overstated. The City Attorney is primarily responsible for prosecuting misdemeanors, including theft, vandalism, trespassing, public intoxication, and other offenses that greatly affect local neighborhoods.
Reports indicate that Roy was instrumental in drafting a campaign proposal last year that aimed to suspend new misdemeanor charges for approximately three months, effectively allowing offenders a sort of amnesty while smaller crimes accumulated in the system.
“I am demanding that Marissa Roy pull out of the race,” declared Raul Claros, a candidate for City Council District 1, which is held by DSA Councilmember Eunice Hernandez, who is backing Roy.
“To suspend the prosecution of drunk drivers, sexual predators, or anyone who undermines this city is just sheer madness,” he added, calling on Hernandez to reconsider his support. “For the sake of my constituents, I urge a repeal of this bill.”
Claros pointed to the situation in MacArthur Park as a warning of the chaos that can ensue without proper oversight. “We don’t want to contribute to that disorder,” he noted. “We want to put a stop to it.”
“Council members continue to prefer ideology over the real needs of the community,” remarked Maria “Lou” Calanche, another candidate for CD1.
Calanche stressed that working-class areas are already grappling with the effects of what some term “low-level” crime. “Even minor offenses are damaging, and it’s the poorer communities that suffer the most,” she said. She also called for Hernandez to withdraw his support, claiming it’s out of touch with the district’s realities. “I haven’t heard from DSA,” she noted. “This could significantly impact our community.”
Eddie Hoff, a moderate candidate from West Los Angeles, criticized any notion of deferred prosecution, labeling it as “the absolute worst thing possible.” He emphasized that any weakening of law enforcement threatens public safety and conveys the wrong message to city residents. After all, public safety should be, I think, the priority for Los Angeles today.
The backlash reached beyond City Hall. LAUSD Board of Education candidate Raquel Zamora, a long-time educator and member of United Teachers Los Angeles, is urging the union’s current director, Rocio Rivas, to withdraw her endorsement of Roy.
“Misdemeanor offenses close to school campuses are like adults loitering outside a kindergarten,” Zamora explained. “When we enforce the law on these crimes, we’re safeguarding our children.”
The unrest mirrors the political turbulence that began in 2022 when then-mayoral candidate Karen Bass rescinded her support for Faisal Gill, also a city attorney candidate, after facing backlash for his suggested 100-day grace period for misdemeanor charges.
Back then, Bass expressed clear opposition to the plan, while rival Rick Caruso deemed the initial support “ridiculous and frightening.”
Roy has garnered backing from notable figures outside City Hall, including newly elected Orange County state Rep. Derek Tran, who has not yet responded to pressures regarding his support.
Documents reviewed indicate that Roy played an active role in discussions surrounding the proposed moratorium on misdemeanor prosecutions during the 2022 election period.
Her current campaign emphasizes a public safety strategy that aims to tackle the underlying issues of crime, such as poverty, mental illness, and addiction, advocating more for diversion, treatment, and supportive services rather than conventional prosecution.
As City Attorney, Roy would hold significant power over case prosecution, meaning shifts in her approach could notably alter the enforcement landscape across Los Angeles.
Roy has not commented on requests regarding these recent developments.
