Gascn and Hochman spar in their first face-off of the L.A. County D.A. race
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón squared off via Zoom on Wednesday with Nathan Hochman, his challenger in the November election, with the two candidates exchanging pointed but polite blows in their first head-to-head encounter of the race.
The virtual forum was marked by technical glitches, rapid-fire switches between topics, and attacks by both candidates. Gascón defended his prosecutorial record while laying out a progressive vision for another four years in office. Hochman, in turn, attempted to pitch himself as the tougher-on-crime alternative.
A lightning rod of controversy since taking office four years ago on a platform of criminal justice reform, Gascón has since rolled back some of his boldest policies in the face of withering criticism. But he said he still prioritizes reducing the incarceration rate while also holding lawbreakers accountable and keeping crime low.
“We have evolved,” Gascón said, noting that the D.A.’s office under his leadership has prosecuted “over 100,000 serious and violent crimes.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-12/gascon-hochman-spar-los-angeles-county-da-race