June 11, 2021- 7:22 p.m.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, criticized as being soft on crime, is facing a recall drive just six months after taking office, making him an anomaly among prosecutors whose campaigns were funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros.
A beneficiary of Mr. Soros’ Justice & Public Safety PAC, Mr. Gascon joined a phalanx of Democratic prosecutors aiming to deal with crime by employing social justice tactics such as reducing charges and sentences against accused or convicted criminals, ending gang task forces and easing parole requirements.
Some of the outcomes have been less than encouraging. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore has reported a 73% increase in shootings during the first four months of this year compared with the same period last year. The city is on pace to have about 340 killings by the end of the year after recording its highest death tally in more than a decade — 350 — in 2020.
“All of the steps he has taken, from ending the gang unit to dropping all enhancements and always looking for the minimum sentences, all of this has made George Gascon persona non grata even in this Democratic city,” said Tim Lineberger, a spokesman for the recall drive.
Though Mr. Gascon is the only “Soros DA” targeted for recall, Los Angeles is not alone in experiencing skyrocketing crime during the terms of Soros-funded prosecutors. Still, the prosecutors have proved remarkably resilient once they take office. In Chicago and St. Louis, where shooting rates are at record highs, the leftist district attorneys have won reelection — even after the St. Louis district attorney ran afoul of campaign finance laws.
In May, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner cruised to victory in the Democratic primary after facing organized pressure from law enforcement groups. Only a fraction of the voters who comprised Philadelphia’s record turnout in November voted last month, and Mr. Krasner handily beat his only serious challenger by 30 percentage points.
Supporters of the liberal prosecutors say these elections have vindicated their approach, but some of those seeking Mr. Gascon’s recall say he hid the extent of the left-wing approach he intended to take once in office.
