LOS ANGELES—A lawsuit to issue an injunction against LA District Attorney George Gascón from hiring “unqualified” deputy public defenders is closer to setting a trial date, according to an April 20 ruling from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff.
The lawsuit, filed by the Association of Deputy District Attorneys in October of 2021, alleges Gascón hired three “unqualified political cronies” of the LA County Public Defenders’ office early last year who were “political supporters” of his election campaign in 2020.
The association claims it has “standing to sue on behalf of its members who have … been adversely affected” by Gascón’s “unlawful promotion” of unqualified public defenders rather than those who are qualified within their ranks.
A spokesperson for the association, which represents more than 800 deputy district attorneys in LA County, told The Epoch Times in an email that during this week’s hearing, Gascón’s counsel requested a trial date in December.
However, the judge “was not receptive to that idea,” according to association representative Eric Rose and instead set June 8 as the date to set the trial.
Gascón is facing a recall effort, which could potentially be on the Nov. 8 ballot, if petitioners gather 566,857 verified signatures by July 6.
The attorney’s association is joined by several other organizations supporting Gascón’s recall, including the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs and the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
Gascón’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
