We endorse Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón because he has the experience and proven leadership to reshape our justice system.

It seems as if every crime trend, every failure of policing or lawmaking (over which Gascón has no purview) is laid at his feet. Now voters must decide whether to stick with Gascón’s reform orientation or step backward into a failed mindset in which justice is defined by the toughest charges and the longest sentences. Voters would be wise to step forward, not back. They would be wise to reelect Gascón over challenger Nathan Hochman’s throwback policies.

Our opposition to current DA George Gascón and his pro-criminal policies is well-established. We called him out for what he is almost immediately after he took office in 2020 and he laid out a plan to drain the jails and put as many criminals on the streets as possible. Nathan Hochman is the clear-cut superior choice here.

The goal of the criminal justice system should be justice. We encourage Hochman to take seriously his vow to take an individualized approach to cases, and urge him to not just chase high conviction rates and stiffer sentences as just ends in and of themselves. Ultimately, we think Hochman is capable of pursuing justice in a thoughtful and reasonable manner. We commend Gascón for his righteous crusade for reform, but he couldn’t do what he thought he could do. It’s time for new leadership in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

With a long-standing career in public service and an unwavering commitment to justice, Hochman is uniquely positioned to restore trust in the office, improve public safety, and bring balanced reforms to our criminal justice system.