“We understand the stakes. The re-election of George Gascón has national significance. We can’t go back.”
—Former Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells
This election will decide if we go back to the past. Shall we go back to a time when the County DA prioritizes low level crimes? Shall we fill our jails by prosecuting behavior of poverty? Shall street walkers be seen as criminals or victims? Shall peaceful protesters be charged with hate crimes? Shall there be accountability for police misconduct? The DA will decide.
The re-election of District Attorney George Gascón is hugely significant for justice in Los Angeles County. After all, it is the DA that makes decisions about who is charged with what crimes. But this year, local DA elections have national significance as well. DA’s have “prosecutorial discretion” to set priorities. It is that very discretion that Project 2025 seeks to weaponize.
A recent article published at Truthout.org alerts us that “Project 2025 Holds a Plan to Make Prosecutors do the Bidding of the Right.”
It’s all there on page 553 of the far-right’s new year’s resolutions. Woe be unto the progressive prosecutor who fails to prosecute under a Trump abortion ban or the prosecutor working in a sanctuary city during Trump mass deportation or who refuses to cooperate with Trump’s threatened plan to use the military to enforce criminal law in US cities. Even the mere threat of being prosecuted themselves may be enough to chill reform efforts of elected District Attorneys.
This year more than ever, your vote for County DA matters. The opponent of our Club’s endorsed candidate ran as a Republican last time he ran (he now calls himself “independent”) and is running with the enthusiastic support of the disgraced former Sheriff Villanueva.
Under Gascón’s leadership, many wrongfully convicted persons have been freed and 0% have re-offended. Shall we go back to a DA who sees the job as one of defending the conviction regardless of any exculpatory evidence? George Gascón says, “My job is to find the truth.”
Please join me in voting to re-elect District Attorney George Gascón.
George Gascón on his record as Los Angeles District Attorney
Republicans are trying to lie and gaslight their way into power.
They’re trying to convince voters that our policies have been dangerous and backwards for Los Angeles County, but that just doesn’t square with reality.
Do you want to know the truth about my record? Our office has:
- Filed nearly every organized retail theft case that law enforcement
brings to us (92 percent so far in 2024). - Increased the number of hate crime prosecutions. LA County hate
crime prosecutions now account for a quarter of all cases in the state. - Resentenced 300 people, with a majority resulting in release.
Currently, there is a zero percent recidivism rate for those who
have been released. - Increased the service capacity of the Victim Services Bureau and
hired additional victim services representatives.
And we’re just getting started.
—George Gascón, District Attorney, Los Angeles County