Written by T. Logan Dayne
In an overwhelming vote, 9 out of 10 prosecutors are supporting an effort to recall the Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. A vote to recall was 97.9% of the 83.3% of prosecutors that chose to participate. This support approves the recall which now needs roughly 800,000 signatures to move forward.
This recall effort is in light of Gascon’s approach to crime which has dramatically spike which began in 2020. His leadership approach is being cited as a “miserable failure”. Many of the prosecutors who voted know Gascon well and have cited a litany of problems and complaints with his behavior while District Attorney, including blatant disregard to California law. Describing Gascon’s behavior, Eric Sidall, vice president of the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys (LAADDA), stated, “One of the first things he did was create a set of directives — in other words, internal rules that DAs were supposed to follow. Some of those rules directly contradicted California state law,” one of the contradicted directives being the three-strikes law which requires defendants convicted of any new felony, having suffered one prior conviction of a serious felony to be sentenced to state prison for twice the term otherwise provided, something that Gascon did not have authority to ignore.
Since the District Attorney is an extension of the executive branch which has authority over enforcing the law, he creates de facto laws and regulations by directly ignoring or refusing to enforce laws. “Whole sections of the penal code he said we’re no longer enforceable,” Siddall added. “And that presents a problem, a legal problem on two fronts. First of all … the prosecutor is part of the executive branch. We can’t just void sections of the law. In effect, what he is doing is he’s making things legal by not enforcing them.”
Gascon’s office had no immediate statement regarding the vote but more than 30 cities have issued votes of no confidence in Gascon.
Photo Cred: Fox News
