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George Gascón bound for runoff in reelection bid for LA County DA By City News Service
D
istrict Attorney George Gascón will be heading to a November runoff election in his bid to retain his position, likely squaring off against Nathan Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general who was the Republican candidate for state attorney general in the 2022 general election. With neither candidate earning more than 50% of the vote from Tuesday’s primary election, the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. Gascón topped the field of 11 challengers with 21% as votes were tabulated Wednesday. Hochman was running a close second at 17% and Jonathan Hatami, a child abuse prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office, in a fading third place with 13%. Gascón was elected in 2020 over incumbent Jackie Lacey as he promised a wave of progressive changes. But he has been under fire since taking office by issuing a series of directives critics have blasted as being soft on crime. The directives included a rule against seeking the death penalty, a ban on transferring juvenile defendants to adult court and prohibitions on filing sentencing-enhancements
Nathan Hochman, left, and George Gascón. | Photos courtesy of Nathan Hochman for L.A. District Attorney; and the LA County District Attorney’s Office
in most cases. “This campaign is not about me, this is a community movement,” Gascón said last November, when he kicked off his reelection campaign. “This is about looking at the criminal justice system of the 21st Century not with a rear-view mirror but looking forward.” Also running for his job were three other members of Gascón’s office: John
McKinney, supervising district attorney; Maria Ramirez, the head deputy D.A.; and Eric Siddall, a violent crimes prosecutor. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges Debra Archuleta and Craig J. Mitchell were also on the ballot, along with David S. Milton, who retired as a Superior Court judge in 2014. The other candidates
were Jeff Chemerinsky, an assistant U.S. attorney; criminal defense attorney Dan Kapelovitz, and Lloyd “Bobcat” Masson, a cold case prosecutor in San Bernardino County. Most of the opponents were challenging a number of Gascón’s policies, with numerous candidates framing a narrative of outof-control crime in Los Angeles, driven by lenient
policies enabling criminals’ release. Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general, offered voters what he described as a “blueprint for justice.” “I am shocked and disappointed at how our public safety has seriously worsened over the last three
years under current D.A. George Gascón,” Hochman stated on his campaign website. “I am prepared to fight to restore it. My Blueprint for Justice outlines the changes I will make as your District Attorney to restore safety and justice to our county.” Hochman said that under Gascón’s leadership, veteran prosecutors were stripped of their ability to file appropriate charges against violent, repeat offenders. As for part of his blueprint, Hochman vows to “restore the purpose of the District Attorney’s Office to fairly, effectively, and vigorously prosecute those who break laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law.” Hochman said he would also “restore the integrity and independence of the district attorney by not making decisions based on a party affiliation or political ideology but solely on the facts and the law.” His campaign points out that Hochman is running as an Independent. “I believe the D.A. needs to be fiercely independent and have encouraged all other candidates to do the
See DA race Page 28
Porter calls primary election for Senate seat ‘rigged’ By City News Service
W
hile Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican former Dodger Steve Garvey prepare for a November runoff election after topping a crowded field of candidates looking to claim the U.S. Senate seat previously held by the late Dianne Feinstein, Katie
Porter is catching flack Thursday for saying the system to select candidates is rigged. Porter, a member of Congress representing Irvine who finished third in the primary election, posted on social media Wednesday that donors supporting
Schiff used their money to rig the election. “Thank you to everyone who supported our campaign and voted to shake up the status quo in Washington. Because of you, we had the establishment running scared — withstanding 3 to 1 in TV
spending and an onslaught of billionaires spending millions to rig this election,” Porter said in a post after the race was called. According to still-unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary election, Schiff, D-Burbank, led the way among the more than two
dozen candidates seeking the seat, earning 33.2% of the vote. Garvey was only about 30,000 votes behind, earning 32.4% of the tally. Porter, D-Irvine, was a distant third at 13.8%, See Senate seat Page 27
and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, placed fourth at just 7.4%. Porter issued a statement Thursday to address criticism for saying the primary election was rigged.