L.A. County district attorney, one of the most progressive in the country, loses re-election
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who ascended to office vowing sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system and then faced intense criticism over public safety issues, lost his bid for re-election, The Associated Press projected.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who ascended to office vowing sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system and then faced intense criticism over public safety issues, lost his bid for re-election, The Associated Press projected.
Gascón was defeated by Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who seized on voter concerns about crime and homelessness in the nation’s most populous county and largest law enforcement jurisdiction.
In recent weeks, Gascón made national headlines when he announced he supported clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers who were found guilty in the 1989 killing of their parents. The legal saga drew renewed public attention this fall after the debut of a Netflix miniseries and documentary about their lives.
Gascón was swept into office in 2020 amid national fury over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He harnessed the progressive energy surrounding that summer’s protests over police misconduct and racial inequality, riding a political wave that in previous cycles helped elect crusading prosecutors in cities like Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia.
In office, Gascón quickly got to work implementing his reformist agenda.
Rating: 5