No angels here

MOST OF THE ATTENTION during November’s election will focus on the “top ticket” races—the offices that provide our government’s most visible face. But some of the most important elected officials appear down the ballot. And it’s those who have attracted the attention of liberal activists with deep pockets, especially George Soros. In her story, “More crime, less punishment,” Kim Henderson explains why Soros and others have spent millions of dollars to elect progressive district attorneys—not to enforce the law but to ignore it.

One of the prosecutors Soros ­supported is Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. What policies has Gascón put in place since he took office in 2020? He immediately made good on his campaign promises. No more death penalty. No more cash bail for mis­demeanors and nonviolent felonies. No more sentencing enhancements. He also sought to end long prison sentences. His extreme policies have some calling him the “godfather of progressive prosecutors.”

Gascón recently lost a retaliation case filed against him. What led to that lawsuit? One of the top supervisors in his office alleged Gascón demoted her because she objected to some of his policies. She was especially concerned about his push to minimize juvenile crime, no matter how violent. A jury awarded her $1.5 million in damages, and at least 10 other high-­ranking staff members have filed similar lawsuits.

You talked to a former prosecutor in Los Angeles who now advocates for victims and families hurt by Gascón’s policies. Tell us about her work. Kathy Cady spent 30 years as a Los Angeles County prosecutor. Her phone started ringing the day after Gascón took office. Since then, she’s come out of retirement to represent more than 150 murder victims’ families for free. She wants to make sure they have a voice, because she believes the rogue prosecutors throughout the country have decided the victim’s voice really doesn’t matter.

Despite family members’ anger, Gascón could be headed to a November reelection. Where’s the disconnect? Gascón started the race with 11 challengers, but the crowded field may have diluted the block of voter anger. He’s now set for a runoff against Republican-turned-independent candidate Nathan Hochman. As California opinion columnist Jim Newton put it, “Gascón’s woeful popularity makes it hard for him to win against just about anyone—except a freshly converted Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic electorate.”