Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom told local anchor Elex Michaelson that he doesn’t “know enough” about Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon to comment on his work.
Michaelson asked Newsom point-blank in the clip whether Gascon was “doing a good job” in Los Angeles. Gascon, a progressive, has been facing a recall campaign, largely due to crime rising to historic levels since he assumed the role.
“I don’t know enough about the job he’s done. I’m deeply concerned about the criticism, and we have expressed ourselves very publicly along those lines, including in Los Angeles, as it relates to some of the issue[s] happening in retail theft, some of the issues happening in the railroad yards,” Newsom told Michaelson of Fox 11 Los Angeles. “I’ve expressed my own issues privately as well, and I’ll leave the more objective analysis of his job to locals.”
I ask @GavinNewsom if he thinks @GeorgeGascon is doing a good job?
“I don’t know enough about the job he’s done…I’m deeply concerned about the criticism.”
“I’ll leave the more objective analysis of his job to locals.”
Full interview on @TheIssueIsShow pic.twitter.com/ZaZifvM5ld
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) July 15, 2022
The recall of Gascon has been overwhelmingly supported by the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys, a union representing prosecutors in the county. The progressive DA’s professional actions and behavior have come under fire from other district attorneys in California, celebrities like Dave Chappelle, and the families of crime victims.
The family of a murdered police officer called Gascon “the devil” after he announced he wanted to drop special circumstance allegations against the murderer. (RELATED: White Powder Allegedly Sent To Group Leading Charge To Recall Woke LA District Attorney)
Since taking office, crime in Los Angeles has experienced an 8.6% increase in violent crime. In West Hollywood, violent crime rose 137% between 2021 and 2022, and Santa Monica has become one of the least safe cities in the state.