LOS ANGELES, CA – Embattled liberal Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon has created a “ticking time bomb” by releasing juveniles convicted of murder back onto the streets, according to one of his deputy district attorneys.
The deputy district attorney feels that this is just one of the many reasons why he will eventually be recalled.
Los Angeles deputy DA: Gascón is creating a ‘ticking time bomb’ by releasing murderers back on the streets https://t.co/Ot6w3ZF3AT
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 16, 2022
Gascon has been taking heat since he was elected to serve as the District Attorney for Los Angeles.
Those who oppose Gascon’s liberal approach on enforcing the laws are now sounding the alarm that the situation in the county is about to get worse because of Gascon’s “blanket policy” of releasing criminals who had been convicted of violent felonies, including murder, as a juvenile often without any transfer hearings from occurring.
State voters approved the measure, known as Proposition 57, in 2016 which required every juvenile who was convicted in adult court to receive a transfer hearing in juvenile court.
However, instead of participating in those hearings, Gascon’s office refuses to participate which causes the inmate to automatically be released back onto the streets, something that Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami believes is creating a “ticking time bomb.”
Hatami spoke to Fox News Digital media recently about his claim, stating:
“When you release dangerous criminals who are murderers at the age of 25, when you don’t present any evidence to a judge, when you don’t consider if this individual was dangerous while in prison, and you just released the individual.
Yeah, that becomes a ticking time bomb. And at a certain point, that person is going to victimize somebody else. And so, George Gascon should really think about that.”
Democrat DA slammed for releasing murderers back on the streets https://t.co/37Wc88XJqF
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 16, 2022
Reflecting on the possibilities of any negative consequences to his policies does not seem to be something Gascon considers according to Hatami. He said:
“He [Gascon] just doesn’t really care. And it’s sad because the job of a district attorney is to fight for the victims and their family, is to make sure there’s accountability, to make sure that there is justice, and to make sure that the public is safe so this individual doesn’t get out for somebody else.”
It’s his goal people. What do you think He’s there to do? Enforce law?
Don’t be ridiculous
He’s a destructive DA, and you all elected him!
Los Angeles deputy DA: Gascón is creating a ‘ticking time bomb’ by releasing murderers back on the streetshttps://t.co/qsomChSS0X
— Joe Tone (@joebinsrca) August 16, 2022
Hatami’s warning comes as news broke that Gascon’s recall efforts appear to have fallen short of the number needed to force the special election.
That means that he will remain in office unless the organizers of the recall effort are able to show almost 50,000 signatures that were deemed defective were actually legitimate. Hatami said:
“I’m incredibly saddened and disappointed by today’s news. My heart breaks for the victims, their families, and the entire county of L.A.
However, the fight for justice, public safety and doing the right thing isn’t over. It will just take a little longer. I will always be proud of all the hard work of the families and volunteers.”
While Hatami and supporters of the recall believe it is only a matter of time until Gascon is removed from office, Gascon himself claims that he has a lot of support from the public and his office.
When questioned by Fox News about the large number of prosecutors who have spoken out against him and his policies, he claimed that his prosecutors reported to him that they were bullied and “badgered” to voice their support of the recall efforts.
Gascon told Fox 11:
“Even when there was a vote of no confidence, I happen to know a lot of people called me and reached out to me and said they were being badgered. If they had not responded they were being singled out they were being harassed in the workplace.”
Report: LA County bans observers from viewing vote-counting in recall of Soros-backed DA
LOS ANGELES, CA – According to a report from the Washington Examiner, county officials have stated that monitors will not be allowed to view the vote-counting process to recall progressive District Attorney George Gascon.
Unlike other voting elections, like for state governors or the president of the United States, the county of Los Angeles is not viewing this event as an election and therefore not having monitors.
However, opponents are insisting that the law clearly states that a recall is in fact an election and that the process should be public. The recall campaign wants to ensure that the voter petitions are accurately counted to place the measure on a ballot.
Regarding the petition counting, retired Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Dennis Zine, one of the campaign organizers, said in a statement:
“We are concerned about it, and we have attorneys looking at it.”
According to the Washington Examiner, if enough valid signatures are submitted and the recall makes a ballot, voters will be asked two questions: whether they would like to recall Gascon and to select a successor from a list of names.
The Los Angeles County Registrar stated that monitors are allowed in normal elections, but that a recall election does not meet that standard. Registrar spokesman Michael Sanchez said:
“[A] reference to monitors/observers in the presidential election is not an accurate comparison as an election does allow for public observation, and Los Angeles County does have an Election Observer Program where members of the public get to watch election-related activities.”
He added:
“However, a recall attempt and its verification/certification activities are not the same.”
Sanchez cited Government Code 6253.5, which states that petitions for ballot measures are not deemed to be public records and therefore not open to inspection.
Contrary to what Sanchez said and cited, campaign spokesman Tim Lineberger cited state election code 2300, which states that voters have the right to ask questions about election procedures and observe the process. He added:
“The counting and verification of the recall petitions is part of the election process. It would be a very narrow interpretation to suggest otherwise.”
Constitutional law attorney Mark Meuser, who is also a candidate for the Senate, said that California has a Voter Bill of Rights, which allows voters to observe the election process, and counting ballots and petitions is part of that. He said:
“The Registrar of Voters is violating the spirit of the law by restricting access to the signature verification process of a recall election Nothing in the law prohibits the ROV from allowing proponents to watch the signature verification process just like they do for mail-in ballots and provisional ballots.”
Meuser stated that the county “will not back down absent a judge telling them they are wrong in their interpretation.”
Reportedly, a bipartisan group, including prosecutors, crime victims, and law enforcement, have collected 717,000 signatures, which is 150,000 above the required amount.
The November election falls within the same frame required for county officials to place the measure on a ballot.
The county conducted a random sampling of 35,793 ballots and found that 27,983 were valid. This fell about 3,000 short for the county to declare that enough valid signatures were collected and so a full count is underway. Lineberger said:
“Obviously we are optimistic and if they say it’s a few thousand short, we want to be ready. The bottom line is we believe we do have the signatures required to initiate the recall, and now we just want to be as thoughtful with the process to ensure it is fair and accurate.”
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