A video emerged late on Friday evening of new Los Angeles Democrat District Attorney George Gascon, who was heavily backed by leftist billionaire George Soros, appearing to tell the family of a murder victim that they were not educated enough to stay quiet while he tried to talk at a small press conference.
Fox News Los Angeles reporter Bill Melugin tweeted out the video clip of Gascon making the remarks, saying that it happened at the Pomona courthouse as “the family of a murdered victim yells at him.”
Gascon said in the clip, “It’s unfortunate that we have people that do not have enough education to keep their mouth shut for once so we can talk.”
“My son will never speak again because he was murdered,” a family member of the murder victim said to Gascon. “He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered. My son matters.”
The video later shows Gascon walking away from the family, appearing to not talk with them or answer their questions.
WATCH:
BREAKING: We've obtained video of LA D.A. George Gascon at the Pomona courthouse today where he can be heard saying "It's unfortunate that some people do not have enough education to keep their mouth shut so we can talk" as the family of a murdered victim yells at him. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/IkHVhhp25u
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 19, 2020
“Sources tell me the woman yelling is the mother of Joshua Rodriguez, who was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in 2015,” Melugin added. “Special circumstances were recently filed on the accused killers, which will be dropped under Gascon’s new policy, which takes life w/out parole off.”
Melugin later added that Gascon’s team claimed that he wasn’t aware that they were family members of the victim.
I have reached out to George Gascon's team for a comment on this video. I've initially been told he wasn't aware they were family members of victims yelling at him when he made this comment, and thought they were just hecklers. Waiting on a formal statement. Will update. @FOXLA
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 19, 2020
Online, Gascon was criticized for his remarks with many of the responses being so vulgar that they could not be included in this report.
Wow. What a scumbag. https://t.co/DvXI2KGpEq
— AG (@AGHamilton29) December 19, 2020
The man helping destroy LA. Gascon recently added a lengthy list of crimes to do not prosecute list including making criminal threats, drug possession, trespassing, disturbing the peace, driving without license, driving with an expired license, prostitution, resisting arrest… https://t.co/TmrWCuv6Zb
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) December 19, 2020
I rarely use the word evil when referring to persons. But, this guy Gascon is evil. https://t.co/lDYVC9K9jj
— Juanita Webb (@NitaMarie65) December 19, 2020
Gascon quickly ignited controversy in his new role as he indicated last week that he would be getting rid of cash bail, declining prosecutions for numerous misdemeanor crimes, and banning prosecutors from seeking enhanced prison sentences.
The Daily Wire reported:
Gascon issued a directive to prosecutors notifying them that the following misdemeanors would be declined for criminal prosecution moving forward, with exemptions: Trespassing, Disturbing The Peace, Driving Without A Valid License, Loitering To Commit Prostitution and Resisting Arrest. …
The Los Angeles Times reported in November that Gascon had been boosted over incumbent Jackie Lacey, by millions of dollars from Soros and philanthropist Patty Quillin, whose husband is Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Because people are limited to how much money they can give directly to campaigns, the majority of the money given by bigtime donors are given to Super PACs. Soros was the top donor in the race, giving $2,250,000 to back Gascon.
A veteran prosecutor — who requested anonymity because they reportedly feared retaliation— told The Los Angeles Times that Gascon’s “policies are a slap in the face to crime victims — both past victims and the ones to come.”
“His blanket policies do not take into account that we are the only people standing between truly dangerous criminals and the general public,” the prosecutor added. “I am already getting concerned emails from concerned victims. What am I supposed to say to them?”