The failure of Recall Gascòn to attain enough signatures to qualify for the November 2022 ballot was a devastating blow to many in Los Angeles County. There are several reasons why the recall did not acquire enough valid signatures despite an unprecedented amount of money and effort. Our Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar has an exclusive on this, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, not unlike his fellow criminal justice reform pal in the governor’s chair, George Gascòn is feeling chuffed, as if the failure of the recall is confirmation that his directives and mandates have been proven right and just. Instead of leading with humility and finding some common ground between the victims and recall organizers who want criminal justice solutions that actually support victims, reduce crime, and punish hardened criminals, George Gascòn simply dismissed them with this tweet:
Grateful to move forward from this attempted political power grab-rest assured LA County, the work hasn’t stopped.
My primary focus has been & will always be keeping us safe & creating a more equitable justice system for all.
I remain strongly committed to that work & to you.
— George Gascón (@GeorgeGascon) August 15, 2022
Not an iota of acknowledgment that he is failing at his primary focus of “keeping us safe.” RedState has documented from Day 1 George Gascon’s directives and failures on public safety, criminal justice, and his dismissiveness of victims and victims’ rights.
Gascòn is strongly committed to “that work” all right. Not so much committed to you, the Los Angeles County citizen.
But let’s look at who else is acting as if it is a mandate. The criminals who now know for a fact that they have a license to rob, pillage, and murder with impunity. At least, for the next two years.
On the heels of the announcement that the recall effort failed, local miscreants celebrated by robbing the liquor display at a grocery store.
Equity in action. California values. Thieves steal thousands of $’s of liquor from a supermarket and walk right out with zero repercussions celebrating DA George Gascon’s recall not qualifying for the ballot. @jackfrootnews
On Tuesday night, this murder happened in what used to be exclusive, safe, and beautiful Beverly Hills.
A man is gunned down outside a posh Beverly Hills restaurant as terrified diners run for cover. Now witnesses who watched the gunmen get away wonder if their swanky city is safe. The attempted murder rattling restaurant-goers. Tonight at 11 from ABC7 https://t.co/8rVk7449uJ pic.twitter.com/mBGYf8tvTJ
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) August 17, 2022
On Wednesday, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) decided to throw D.A. Gascòn a victory rally. Because failure to do your job of prosecuting crime and criminals, while still keeping your high-paid position, is a cause for joy and revelry.
Or something…
"In order to effectively reduce crime & victimization in our communities it is imperative that we view these issues through a public health lens," said D.A. Gascón at a Justice Reform rally with @SEIU2015, @southwestcarps, @unitehere11, @la_voice, @bendthearc_sca & others in LA. pic.twitter.com/nV9pIBYxrs
— George Gascón (@LADAOffice) August 18, 2022
All Gascòn’s progressive partners and cohorts, along with a sea of purple — the SEIU-paid contingent — were on display, showing solidarity for Gascòn and his so-called criminal justice reform policies.
We were honored to join @GeorgeGascon, @EunissesH, @tainaangeli, and many other allies for a justice reform rally today at @SEIU2015. We’re energized and ready to continue working alongside these reform champions to make safety and justice a reality for all Angelenos. Onwards! pic.twitter.com/OA4aCv28Zj
— Smart Justice California (@SmartJusticeCA) August 17, 2022
The Los Angeles City Council member-elect Eunisses Hernandez was invited by Gascòn to speak at the rally. Hernandez is a self-described Democrat Socialist who beat incumbent Councilmember Gil Cedillo for his CD-1 seat, and plans to repeal the council initiative banning homeless encampments around school property, among other things. She sat down with Capital and Main to talk about her plans when she is sworn into office in December:
Her top priorities are around housing: “protecting renters,” “preserving deeply affordable housing” and “producing deeply, deeply affordable housing.” Hernandez once wanted to be a police officer but now embraces criminal justice reform. Co-founder of LA Defensa, she ran as a police abolitionist and successfully campaigned to halt construction of a $3.5 billion county jail.
Translation: Screw homeowners and landlords and defund the police are back on the agenda. Hernandez said she met Gascòn in 2014 and is fully on board with his agenda.
At the “justice reform rally” which feels like a victory lap for #GeorgeGascon following the unsuccessful recall attempt, newly elected LA councilmember #eunisseshernandez says “The people beat it” and “I am grateful that the recall failed and we get more time with George Gascon” pic.twitter.com/H7Fem2ciFq
— Josh Haskell (@abc7JoshHaskell) August 17, 2022
This is what the Left considers progress. This is what speaking FOR THE PEOPLE looks like to them. They could not care less about your voice, all they care about are their goals and the voices that support them—the people they prop up to see those goals, plans, and people who will maintain them — are securely embedded into place. If Democrat Congresswoman Karen Bass wins the mayoral election in November, you can bet your bottom dollar she’ll continue to be on board with making Los Angeles as unsafe and unlivable as possible.
The jury is still out on whether the recall organizers will challenge the signature count or mount a third attempt to remove this feckless, cowardly district attorney, but one thing is sure: Los Angeles County will bleed even more residents—whether through them leaving the area or through more of them being murdered. It’s a harsh reality.
And those who are left behind?
November is still coming, and one way or another there will be a reckoning.
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