Fourteen cities in Los Angeles county have issued no-confidence resolutions against District Attorney George Gascón, claiming his policies have gone too far.
Diamond Bar’s city council passed a no-confidence motion during its May 18 meeting, with some councilmembers wishing to address Gascón’s perceived leniency to horrific crimes throughout the county.
“Gascón is making it less safe for our residents and businesses,” Diamond Bar Mayor Nancy Lyon told The Epoch Times. “He’s more concerned about the criminals than the victims. You can’t do special enhancements on things like hate crimes, elder abuse, child physical abuse, trauma, [or] human trafficking.
“Even if they’re 17 1/2 years old and they committed a double murder and tortured people, they can’t be tried as an adult. ... and he’s no longer going to seek the death penalty in any case.”
The residents’ response to the agenda item was “overwhelming,” Lyon said, adding that she’s never seen the community more involved. While most residents were in favor of the no-confidence vote, a few voiced opposition to it.
One Diamond Bar resident said the council should vote against the notion, as Gascón’s sweeping overhaul was justifiable.
“The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional,” the person said. “DA Gascón’s policy encourages the use of diversion programs, which provide treatment rather than prosecution in jailing for many minor offenses.
“Public expense jails, prisons, and courts are not the best way to manage the root causes of many misdemeanors, we must step up the availability of community support services. ... We must stop thinking that imprisoning people longer reduces crime or addresses issues that our society fails to address. ... Depriving people of life and liberty after serving a sentence only keeps them from becoming productive members of society.”
Conversely, some Diamond Bar residents who said they originally voted for Gascón expressed disappointment in the district attorney.
“While I voted for him initially, his truth was really a lie and he proved it on his first day in office,” a speaker said. “[We] did not elect him to destroy our system of justice.”
The Manhattan Beach City Council also voted in favor of no confidence in Gascón on May 18.
“We share the DA’s desire for criminal-justice reform,” Mayor Suzanne Hadley told The Epoch Times. “Our concern is that the DA is choosing not to enforce the law—rather than tackle the necessary, difficult, and legislative work of true reform.”
The no-confidence votes follow less than a year after Gascón took office in December. Other cities to pass symbolic no-confidence resolutions include Covina, Azusa, Beverly Hills, Lancaster, La Mirada, Whittier, Santa Clarita, Pico Rivera, Redondo Beach, Arcadia, Rosemead, and Santa Fe Springs.
On his first day in office, Gascón signed a special directive that announced policy changes including potential sentence reductions for inmates, a ban on sentence enhancements, and elimination of the death penalty.
Gascón received $2 million in campaign funding from billionaire George Soros, who is known for bankrolling leftist politicians and organizations.
