Lakewood gives pass to DA Gascon
Council declines NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE against DA whose policies have allowed criminals to run free on the streets.
Lakewood residents demanding a no-confidence vote against District Attorney George Gascon will be disappointed yet again at Tuesday’s Council meeting.
Gascon enacted directives Dec. 7 that: put criminal suspects onto the streets by limiting the use of cash bail; directed county prosecutors not to prosecute misdemeanors unless they meet certain exceptions; prohibited the prosecution of juveniles accused of misdemeanors; and, ended all sentencing enhancements before some were later reinstated thanks to a lawsuit by deputy district attorneys.
The result has been the grand increase in mayhem/crime that Lakewood residents read about nearly every day. For example, a Lakewood staff report noted that between December 2020 and March 2021, 104 cases were not picked up by the district attorney’s office for prosecution thanks to Gascon’s directives regarding misdemeanors.
As a result, dozens of Lakewood residents have supported the idea of their Council following the example of 27 other Los Angeles County cities in passing a vote of no-confidence against the district attorney. And, there was optimism that the Lakewood Council would do such a thing at Tuesday’s meeting.
Such optimism was smashed once the meeting’s agenda packet became available.
Instead of passing a no-confidence vote against Gascon, the Council will vote whether or not to send a letter (see pages 85-87) to the various county and state representatives of Lakewood. The letter demands that Gascon rescind his Dec. 7 directives and prosecute criminal cases according to state laws, and that the county’s board of supervisors adequately address the upcoming lack of jail space caused by their planned closure of Men’s Central Jail.
At no point did the letter mention a no-confidence vote by the Lakewood Council against Gascon. This stands in contrast to the strong language in six other county cities’ no-confidence votes examined by the Lakewood Populist:
“The [Santa Fe Springs] City Council affirms a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon’s Special Directives and hereby directs staff to transmit this resolution to interested offices and organizations.”
“The City Council of the City of Covina affirms a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and hereby directs staff to transmit said Resolution to applicable and interested offices and organizations.”
“The City of La Mirada affirms a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon and hereby directs staff to transmit said resolution to applicable and interested offices and organizations.”
“The City of Palmdale affirms a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon and hereby directs staff transmit said Resolution to applicable and interested offices and organizations.”
“The City Council of the City of Pico Rivera expresses a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and hereby directs staff to transmit the resolution to applicable and interested offices and organizations.”
“The Santa Clarita City Council affirms a vote of no confidence in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon and hereby directs staff to transmit said resolution to applicable and interested offices and organizations.”
The adamant refusal by the Lakewood Council to hold such a vote of no confidence juxtaposes with statements by longtime Councilman Todd Rogers, who has previously noted the positive effects of such votes.
Gascon held May 19 a meeting with councilmembers from several southeast Los Angeles County cities, including Rogers, to discuss his December 2020 directives. Rogers, during the May 25 Council meeting, described the meeting with Gascon as a “productive conversation” and said the no-confidence votes against Gascon may have had a role in forcing the district attorney to hold the meeting.
GET INVOLVED: Contact Council and demand a no-confidence vote
Mayor Jeff Wood
jeffwood@lakewoodcity.org
Vice Mayor Steve Croft
stevecroft@lakewoodcity.org
Councilman Todd Rogers
toddrogers@lakewoodcity.org
Councilman Ariel Pe
arielpe@lakewoodcity.org
Councilwoman Vicki Stuckey
vickistuckey@lakewoodcity.org
Optional email for all councilmembers
citycouncil@lakewoodcity.org
NOTE: Article originally posted September 12, 2021.