LOS ANGELES – Today, George Gascón’s campaign for Los Angeles District Attorney announced that it raised $489,932.47 in the latest filing period covering February 16 to June 30, including $256,734.61 during the month of June alone. The flood of support is a testament to Gascón’s progressive vision during a time of renewed focus on reforming our nation’s criminal justice system.
“The organizations that advocate for bad cops are financing the incumbent’s reelection bid in order to maintain LA’s vacuum of law enforcement accountability,” said former District Attorney and Assistant Chief of the LAPD, George Gascón. “She answers to police unions and their regressive agenda, but this grassroots movement for reform is accountable to the people.”
Gascón’s grassroots campaign raised the $489,932.47 from 6,254 contributions, including 5,841 first-time donors. The average contribution was just $68.38. Additionally, the campaign has seen over 500 people sign up to volunteer.
By contrast, according to the most recent filings, incumbent Jackie Lacey received contributions from just 979 contributors overall, averaging $841 per contribution. Further, while Mr. Gascón and other prosecutors and elected officials across California are seeking to #CureTheConflict of interest by rejecting campaign cash from police unions, Jackie Lacey has accepted thousands in direct contributions from law enforcement groups, and millions in outside support. George Gascón has accepted $0 from police unions and has pledged never to accept their support.
The generous contributions come in the wake of a wave of endorsements for Gascón including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Secretary Julián Castro, Congressman Alan Lowenthal, State Senator Holly Mitchell, and former LA DA Gil Garcetti. Notably, Jackie Lacey has failed to secure any major endorsements since Gascón entered the race in October. Instead, her campaign has experienced an exodus of support, with Congress-members Adam Schiff and Ted Lieu withdrawing their endorsements of Jackie Lacey, along with Assemblymember Laura Friedman and the Stonewall Young Democratic Club. Finally, one of Lacey’s prominent supporters, Mayor Garcetti, walked back his support in mid-June.
Furthermore, George Gascón’s campaign released new poll results last week showing the first-time LA County candidate leading two-term incumbent District Attorney Jackie Lacey by a 3-point margin among definite voters, 35% to 32%, with 33% undecided in the race to be LA’s next District Attorney.
Team Gascón is grateful for the outpouring of interest and support and we look forward to working with the community to bring real change and accountability to Los Angeles.
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George Gascón is the Democratic Party’s nominee. He is endorsed by the LA Times, the LA Daily News, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders, Kamal
Mr. Gascón grew up in Los Angeles after his family immigrated from Cuba. An army veteran, Gascón served as a Los Angeles Police Department Officer for 30 years, rising to the rank of Assistant Chief of Operations. In 2006 he became Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona, where he stood up to the hateful and anti-immigrant policies of then Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In 2009, then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Gascón Chief of Police. Newsom turned to Gascón again in 2011 when he tapped him to be District Attorney to fill the seat vacated by an outgoing Kamala Harris who had been elected Attorney General. During his tenure Gascón implemented reforms that are being duplicated across the country while overseeing violent crime and homicides drop to rates not seen in 50 years. After being elected to two terms, Gascón returned to Los Angeles to care for his elderly mother and to be closer to his two daughters and grandchildren in Long Beach. Gascón is married to Fabiola Kramsky, a three-time Emmy Award winning journalist and recipient of the “Premio Nacional de Periodismo,” the highest recognition given to journalists in Mexico.