A third city in California has approved a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón’s special directives, which include keeping prosecutors from using previous offenses to increase sentencing.
Fox 11 Los Angeles reported Tuesday that Pico Rivera, California, became the third city to approve a vote of no confidence, following Santa Clarita and Beverly Hills. The measure was approved by a 3-2 vote.
Pico Rivera city councilman Andrew Lara said at the meeting that the vote couldn’t be painted as something from “White Republicans,” which has been the preferred narrative against Santa Clarita and Beverly Hills (though they are not Republican cities by a longshot). Lara said he was a Democrat.
Lara also said he was offended by the suggestion from Gascón’s representative that the unpopular directives from the D.A. were “the people’s directives” because he won the election in 2020. Lara, according to Fox 11, noted that voters also said they wanted to keep the death penalty, adding that he believes people who kill cops should be sentenced to death.
Fox 11 reported that La Mirada, California, is also considering a vote of no confidence in Gascón.
As The Daily Wire has previously reported, upon entering office, Gascón issued a set of directives aimed at “getting rid of cash bail, declining prosecutions for numerous misdemeanor crimes, and banning prosecutors from seeking enhanced prison sentences.”
The directives were met with an immediate backlash, leading Gascón to change some of the policies just weeks after announcing them.
“Nearly all of the concerns I have heard center around my policy of ending all enhancements,” Gascón wrote in an open letter in mid-December. “To be responsive to your input, I have decided to make some adjustments to my initial directives.”
“Where aggravating factors exist I believe existing sentencing schemes provide sufficient latitude to prosecutors to seek higher sentences, but some victims remain concerned and I want you to know that we are listening,” he continued.
From The Daily Wire’s Jeff Cawood:
Gascón did not campaign on eliminating all sentencing enhancements, and his plan to do so, along with other elements of his progressive agenda, was met with immediate resistance. The new directives sparked a revolt from local law enforcement groups and several deputy district attorneys within Gascón’s office. Victims’ families and prosecutors connected with media outlets, and their stories helped create a plethora of new critics, many of whom were generally quiet during the election.
Even after his partial reversal, many have demanded he resign. A recall effort is currently underway, with the L.A. County sheriff supporting the effort.
Meanwhile, Gascón continues to issue unpopular directives, most recently downsizing his office’s Hardcore Gang Unit and Major Narcotics Unit, The Daily Wire reported. A prosecutor in the office who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Fox 11 that the “gang unit was pretty much decimated.”
A judge has also issued an injunction for some of Gascón’s policies.