Los Angeles County's newly-elected district attorney was named after voters ousted first-term progressive district attorney George Gascón on Tuesday, failing what critics said was the nation's largest progressive overhaul of the district attorney's office. He said one of his first tasks will be to restore the trust of the community after ending what he called an end to the crisis. Criminal justice system.
Gascón received less than 40% of the vote in a race against former federal prosecutor Nathan Hockman, who campaigned against controversial DA policies by highlighting the dangers to public safety.
“The department must rebuild trust with prosecutors,” Hochman told Fox News Digital. “He has lost trust and confidence in law enforcement and with the victims and the victims' families. I have to rebuild that trust from day one.”
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Nathan Hockman fired Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon on Tuesday. Gascón survived two recall attempts, but his progressive criminal justice policies drew criticism. (AP)
Gascón commented on Tuesday's election in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying, “Last night's shift to the right across America was heartbreaking.”
“Democrats have a long way to go, but the work is more important than ever and our commitment will be steadfast.” “Nonetheless, I called Mr. Hochman and wish him the best as the next District Attorney of Los Angeles County. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished over the past four years and , and we are grateful to our community for always being the heart of criminal justice reform. ”
Gascón took office in 2020 amid growing public calls for an investigation into police misconduct and criminal justice reform. His directives, including eliminating cash bail, not seeking the death penalty and refusing to try juvenile defendants charged with violent crimes as adults, were slammed by critics as being too soft on crime.
Upon taking office, Mr. Hochman said he would eliminate “comprehensive and extreme pro-crime policies,” including the initiation of gang members into violent crimes.
“That's what George Gasson's decarboxylation policy effectively means,” he said.
Gascón also survived two recall attempts during his time in office as voters voiced concerns about his policies.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon addresses the media during a press conference regarding developments in the case of brothers Eric and Lyle Menendez, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
He also co-authored Proposition 47, a measure that voters approved in 2014. The bill would downgrade most thefts from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen was less than $950, and reclassify some felony drug crimes as misdemeanors. The law became the target of critics' scorn as retail and snatch thefts increased in California during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
Others accused him of politicizing the prosecutor's office, including his recent announcement that he would recommend resentencing the Menendez brothers.
On Tuesday, voters overwhelmingly supported a measure to repeal some of Proposition 47's provisions. Prop. 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, repeals portions of Prop. 47 by increasing penalties for some crimes.
Hockman was supported by the police union, many of Gascon's own prosecutors, and many local elected officials.
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Cherokee justice advocate Bertha Frere (left), an independent candidate for Los Angeles County district attorney, says a suspect in her daughter's kidnapping and death has not been identified and brought to justice four years later. Take a photo with Nathan Hockman. A campaign event was held in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles on Saturday, October 26th. (AP Photo/Damien Dovarganes)
In Alameda County, on the opposite coast of San Francisco, Pamela Price was recalled after two years as district attorney. Critics accused Price of being soft on crime after he took on several cases.
Eric Siddal, a Los Angeles district attorney and former prosecutorial candidate who ran against his boss, said there is a shift in thinking about criminal justice.
“I don't know if there are any more progressive prosecutors in California, I think they're all gone,” he told Fox News Digital. “It's a surprising shift in some ways from 2020 to 2024. Voters have made it clear that they want smart reforms, but they also want protections.”
Despite political differences among voters, public safety is a cross-cutting issue, Hochman said.
“I've talked to far-left liberals, independents, and conservative Republicans, and while we disagree on many things, I believe the district attorney will prioritize public safety and hold criminals accountable.” “We found that they agreed to implement the policy,” he said, “because their actions in a sensible and proportionate way really matter.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon meets with the media at Grand Park on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Myung Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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In Oakland, a recall campaign was passed with a 65% vote, and Mayor Shen Thao was also removed from office. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed was expected to lose re-election.
Daniel Lurie led incumbent Breed in the first round of the city's ranked-choice voting.
